In love with the enemy
by Mariah April May
Summary: Mystic Falls is divided between two vampire clans. Rippers and The Originals. Elena is part of "Originals". She is Nicklaus Michelson's half sister. Damon is her mate who belongs to "Rippers". Their clans had a feud for centuries. Damon falls madly in love with her,unaware of her reality,after Elena accidentally crosses boundary. Hell break lose when truth comes out! Now it's war!
1. Prologue

**Story Title : In love with the enemy.**

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Dear readers,

I finished this story in about July-2017. But due to grammar errors and mistakes I am rewriting the entire story, slowly. I also might add or remove some scenes so if you're re readers don't be surprised about that. Leave me down comments and reviews! I'll love to read what you think about it.

Beta Credits to Discreet Kitty. Your work is beyond amazing! Thank you so much.

Lastly, the story shows crazy obsessive love so if you're not comfortable with that content please don't read further.

Regards and Love,

May

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Disclaimer: All the characters belong to their owners.

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Prologue

Elena ran toward the boundary line. She had to get there fast. She needed to. This was all her fault. She cursed herself for lying that day. For crossing the boundary and now she had done it. She had become the cause of a deadly war between two ruthless vampire clans. Her breathing became harsh once she smelled her brother's scent in the air. _He_ was close. Life escaped through her when she smelled his fragrance too. _He_ was there too. Finally, he would know who she was. And why? Why did she have to lie?

Not that she would ever regret it. She found the love of her life. Her soul mate. But this wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to fall in love with the enemy. Now she had to choose. Between her family and her love. Her soul mate. Her mate. She took a sharp turn and she nearly lost balance when she saw him and her brother snarling at each other in their vampire form.

"How fucking dare you touch my sister?" snarled her half-brother, Klaus. "How dare you even think you could have her? I will fucking shred you to pieces, you're fucking dead! Dead! I tell you."

"The fuck you're talking about? I rather die in a pool of vervain before I touch any slut that is slightly related to you." Damon replied, surprised and amazed by accusations.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Klaus growled, still in an attack stance. "You have gone too far this time. I won't spare you for this. I will tear you limb from limb. The family is off limits."

Her other siblings supporting her elder brother's statement by snarling at her lover, her mate, and her mate's family.

"Like I said," Damon began. His dark hair was sticking against his glistening forehead. "I have no idea the fuck you talking about but you step foot in my area and I will stake you myself. Treaty be damned."

He stuck his hands into his leather jacket, snarling as he turned around. He was done with talking to the arrogant, son of a bitch original vampire, he'd other worries on his mind and Klaus was interrupting them.

He paused looked back at the blond vampire and said,"And, News flash, I already have a mate."

The words didn't seem to have an effect on the other male. Damon needed to clarify himself a little more to get through the thick skull of the stubborn repulsive Original chief.

"Bitches from your side are beneath the level of Damon Salvatore," the dark-haired vampire said with a smirk. Yet, Klaus' facial expression didn't change and Damon needed to feel satisfied with having the last laugh. He stepped closer to his opponent, smiling and said, "However, if your sister still wants a good fuck, send her up. I am sure I can find someone here who would volunteer to show her what real men feel like."

Elena nearly snarled in response. He had a bad habit of taking a jibe at wrong people at the wrong time. Her brother snarled and was about to attack when Elena shouted, "Stop!"

All eyes shot to her.

Her mate's eyes widened as he saw her. His face reflected how much horrified he was to find her on enemy territory. She knew what was going through his mind. Male vampires are awfully protective of their mates and could rip off anyone in half if someone even looks at their mate the wrong way. Standing on the enemy territory meant immediate death by the rival clan. Little did her mate know that she was part of this territory too. He didn't know that she was the half-sister of Klaus Mikelson, her mate's biggest enemy.

"Elena," Daman breathed, terrified that Klaus would hurt his mate.

Klaus turned around, facing her with bloodshot eyes. "Elena! Didn't I tell you to stay at home? What are you doing here?"

"Please…don't…please," she begged with a pool of tears in her eyes.

Her eyes darted to her mate who still looked puzzled. The realization came across his face.

"You're his sister," Damon wasn't asking, he was stating.

His void emotionless face suddenly filled with emotions. Hurt, because she had hidden such big detail about her. Disgust, she was his enemy's sister. Panic, he couldn't possibly live without his mate and he knew Klaus would never let him have her. They were enemies since birth. And finally determination, he had to think something quick. He refused to give up his mate.

Elena nodded, confirming his statement.

"Yes, I was going to tell you but -" she trailed off when she heard her mate's brother growl.

"I told you," Stefen said. "Didn't I? This was all a trap. He must have sent her to finish all of us. This is a new low even for you Klaus."

"Oh!" Klaus exclaimed. "Quit it! Don't pretend like it wasn't one of YOUR schemes to trap my innocent sister and use her to get rid of me and take my territory. But too bad for you I found out."

Klaus hissed at Stefan, her mate's brother.

She avoided Damon's pain-stricken eyes.

He couldn't believe it. After years he had finally opened himself to someone. After years he had fallen for the girl in front of him. A vampire doesn't fall in love easily but when he does there is no going back. He made her his mate. They had shared blood. She was officially his now. How could she betray him like that? Was this all a game to her?

Klaus must have put her to this. It was expected from a lowlife, sick, power-hungry mixed breed like Klaus but Elena. Elena seemed so pure and innocent. How could she do this? She is his sister. Of course, she can do this. His mind answered. But what about me? I don't deserve this. I love her. His mind screamed.

"Stefan!" she begged. "There was no plan. Please let me explain. But it was too late, with a speed of lightening her mate's best friend, Enzo, crossed the boundary and held her by her neck, snarling at her as he vamped out. Elena screamed. Almost on instinct, Damon came to her defense in an instant, pushing Enzo off her. Enzo flew back to the other side of territory. A second later, Klaus was on her side too, pushing her mate off her and standing in front of her. Little did her brother know that she was his now.

"Nick! she pleaded. "Nick! Please! Don't hurt him! He is my mate. Please don't."

She tried to get in between the two very furious vampires.

Her words nearly shook her brother. He stared at her in disbelief. Elena cowered under his death stare.

"You shared blood with my sister. You made her your mate. How fucking dare you?"

Her brother snarled at Damon before he attacked him.

"Nick!" she screamed. "No!"

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 **Review?**


	2. The girl of his dreams

**Warning : Dark themes, obsessive love. If you're not comfortable don't read.**

 **Beta credits to Discreet Kitty for such an amazing and extensive work. Thank you so much for your hard work and your input.**

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 **Chapter 1: The Girl of His Dreams**

Elena stopped the car in front of her brother's house. She checked her lip gloss in the mirror before jumping out of her car. Smiling at the gate-man, she rushed to the hall. She was late again, as usual. Her father, Mikael, glared at her as she entered. Elena noticed all her other siblings were there. Her eyes scanned for her mother but she couldn't find her. She must be in one of her meetings again after dropping her off to at Mayor's house for the competition.

"Gentlemen!" her father barked. "This is my youngest daughter, Elena, and she will now tell us why she is late…again."

Elena looked at the people sitting on the opposite side of the table.

 _Great,_ she thought. _Another vampire family._

"Hi…I…um…I was busy with preparation for Miss Mystic Falls competition. I…I was with mum," She uttered looking down nervously.

It wasn't like she was afraid. She was after all a vampire. She belonged to one of the most powerful vampire family in the world. "The Originals." Her father, Mikael, was over a 1000-year-old. He was one of the most feared vampires on this planet. Her mother Isobel was Mikael's second wife and about 30-year-old turned vampire. Mikael's first wife died in a feud with the vampire family on the other side of the border.

She was the youngest sister of three most deadly vampire of the world. Klaus, Kol and Rebekah. They might be her half-siblings but they were still very close.

She felt Rebekah hold her hand from under the table providing her support. "These are the Smiths," her elder brother Klaus introduced. She looked up.

"Hi!" she smiled kindly to vampires sitting opposite to them. She sat there as their families discussed alliance treaty with Smith family. She looked up to see the handsome raven-haired vampire eyeing her with interest.

"We will support you against the "Rippers" if it comes down to fight. Not that I think they would dare," Elijah Smith, the vampire that had been eyeing her replied when her father addressed him.

"I know they won't. Even with the advantage of growing oak trees, they are still young. All of them together can't beat me if it comes down to a fight," Mikael said professionally. "I am older and stronger and they didn't exactly violate the treaty but Klaus wanted us to be prepared, just in case."

"Kol got one of them cornered the other day. We found out that they have the Bennett witches for an advantage now as if the werewolves weren't enough." Klaus added. "That part is concerning. Even if they aren't planning to attack anytime soon I think we need to be prepared."

Elijah Smith and Finn Smith nodded. A loud bang diverted their attention. Their eyes darted to the source of the noise and found Caroline Forbes trying to hold the china set from falling down the shelf. Her hand accidentally hit the plates and the shelf fell along with the china set she was holding. A series of crashes followed. And just before the broken shards could hurt her Klaus zoomed to her side using vampire speed and saved her from getting hurt not that it would have been permanent. Caroline was a vampire and would have healed immediately. But Klaus was her mate. Male vampires were awfully protective of their mates.

"and she proves again that she is the world's clumsiest vampire." Kol chuckled.

"Hey!" Caroline chimed. Hey! I was trying to save your favorite china set."

"Are you okay?" Elena zoomed to her best friend's side.

"Of course," Mikael said turning around. "She is okay. She is a vampire."

Apart from being beautiful Mikael could not find as to why Klaus would ever fall for a girl like Caroline. She was awfully talkative. She was very clumsy even after becoming a vampire and she did nothing but create more troubles. And today again she embarrassed them in front of the Smiths.

"Love!" Klaus said as his hand snaked around her waist. " I told you to stay inside the room."

"Klaus," Caroline huffed. "I am your wife, not your slave. I am the independent woman who would do whatever she wants. I refuse to be ordered around."

If there was something she hated, it was being ordered around. Ironically, she married a man who loved to order people around. "And I told you to clean the mugs once you're done drinking. I hate the blood stains on my new mugs. That's it. You're not using new mugs again. It took me ten minutes to scrub them clean…Oh! We have guests…" she trailed off eyeing Elijah and Finn who looked beyond amused by her chatter.

"Hi! I am Caroline Forbes-Mikelson ."

"She is my mate," Klaus added.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that,"Caroline rambled. "Mate. She is my mate. How wrong does that sound? I am your _wife_ , Klaus. Wife. Use human terms. I get it we did some freaky vampire wedding kinda thing and now I belong to you but I am still independent and I would prefer if you call me wife instead of mate."

Klaus looked down in embarrassment. Yes, he was the vampire the world used to whimper in fear from and here he was getting bullied by his newly turned vampire wife.

"Elena!" Klaus said through his teeth. "Honey! Can you keep my darling wife company? I have some really important things to discuss with Mr. Smith here."

"Great!" Caroline rambled as she turned around with Elena following her. "Ignore me. I don't know why I even love you."

Rebekah was glad Klaus didn't pick her to accompany Caroline. Especially if she was in this mood. Rebekah never got along with the blonde vampire too well. Elena did. But that was because they had been friends throughout college. And due to Elena's ability to get along with almost anyone. Klaus went to visit his sister once when Elena was in college and fell head over heels for the blonde woman who use to be only Elena's best friend back then and now was his mate and a part of their family. Caroline knew about them. She willingly turned for Klaus and then Klaus made her his mate. Even though they were bonded for the rest of eternity by vampire law, Caroline still wanted a human wedding. They had a court marriage but now she wanted a "real wedding." Klaus being a love-struck fool accepted her demand.

She wanted to call all her relatives as well who were still very much "humans". So in order to save them from becoming lunchtime snacks of "Rippers" their rival family from across the border, they needed help. That was the agenda of the meeting that was being held today. For "Originals," family meant everything. They would willingly die and kill for each other.

"I don't get what the big deal is honey," Caroline babbled and Klaus had to press his lips to restrain himself from smiling. "I mean okay. Rippers are dangerous but can't we just you know go over to the border and have a civil talk with them and request them not to meal on my family. We could even invite them to the wedding. That would be so cool. The century-old feud could be dissolved by our friendly gesture."

She was so beautifully innocent.

"It's not that simple Care," Elena said as she bent over the railing of the roof. "They are our enemies.

"I know…I know…century old feud..." Caroline sighed.

Elena nodded.

Caroline lent back as she remembered when Elena explained their history to her.

Mystic Falls was divided into two territories. One part belonged to "The Originals" while the other part belonged to "The Rippers". They never crossed borders. The punishment to stepping on the other's territory was immediate death. The feud over blood turned more aggressive when Klaus's mother died in one of their fights about hundred and eight years ago. It started a huge war resulting in the killing of a lot of vampires on both sides. While Originals were older hence making them stronger then Rippers. The Rippers had witches and werewolves on their side making them even in power to Originals. Seeing as the war was leading nowhere, vampire families nearby towns forced the two rival families to form a treaty. Both of the families must stay on their side of the town. Both families must feed on their allotted sides. And under no circumstances were males of the families allowed to perform vampire mating bond with the females of the rival family.

Both the families followed these rules religiously. Female Vampires weren't even allowed to go close to the border lines. Not that any of them complained.

Rebekah was already happily mated to Marcel, one of Klaus's friend. Rebekah's mate Marcel also provided them the alliance of his own family. Elena and Kol were the only single members of the Mikelson family now that Klaus also found the love of his life.

For Klaus Mikelson , family and honor meant everything. He was second in command after their father. The Originals clan were to follow all his orders. No one could ever dare to defy him. The only thing Klaus loved more than power was his family which he was very protective of. His most prized possession was his youngest sister. "Elena Mikelson" also known as Honey in their clan. Elena had a secret ability. An ability that was very rare in vampires. No one knew about it except her family.

Caroline couldn't help but think about all the single vampires in their clan to pair up Elena with. Her inner matchmaker couldn't help but notice Elijah's interest in Elena.

"Did you ever go to see their side though?" Caroline snapped Elena out of her thoughts.

"Are you kidding me? Klaus would stake me if that ever happens."

"You got that one right, Sis," Klaus said as he came behind Caroline wrapping his arms around her.

"Care Love!" Klaus asked strictly. "Listen to me. Now I know that you have gold of a heart and you don't appreciate fighting and rivalry but this is a serious matter. Under no circumstances are you to go even close to the boundary line. Treaty clearly states that if our vampires so much as even steps in their territory they are allowed to go for a straight kill. Not to mention that you're newly turned. You are no match for their strength so don't ever go toward the boundary. Understand?"

Caroline nodded. She was new to their world. Of course, she needed guidance. "God! I love you so much" he said as he bent down to kiss her.

"Eww…this is so not what I wanna see." Elena groaned in disapproval.

"You can leave anytime you want," Klaus growled.

Elena huffed and left the happy couple alone. She smiled as she walked down the stairs. She was glad her brother found his soulmate after such a long wait. Not that she had been around a long time. She was also a fresh vampire. A slightly different vampire. As she jumped down the last step she bumped into someone. Her eyes darted upon the person.

"I am so sorry Mr. Smith," Elena apologized.

"It's okay," he introduced himself. "Please call me Elijah."

"Elena, but my friends can call me Honey" she replied offering him her hand.

"Honey," Elijah smiled.

"That's my nickname," Elena rushed making Elijah laugh at her nervousness. "I am not flirting. That name was given to her by Klaus."

"You're really beautiful," Elijah complimented. "and I am flirting," he added making Elena blush.

"Would you like to go out sometime?" he asked.

"Wow that was fast," Elena thought.

"I ... sure," Elena replied.

He was handsome, decent and powerful. She knew her family wouldn't have a problem with her going out with him. She had to double check with her brother though. Nothing in her family happened without Klaus's approval.

"Tomorrow at ten?" he asked beaming now.

Elena nodded, smiling.

"Would you keep me company until my brother finalizes treaty points with Mr. Mikelson ?" Elijah rushed. He didn't want her to leave just yet.

"Sure."

"So you're running for Miss Mystic Falls this year?" Elijah asked as they walked toward the porch.

"Yeah," Elena continued. "I am not into beauty pageants much but it's more of the family legacy that I am forced to carry on. See! My mum won one. My sister Rebekah won and now it's my turn."

"I am sure you will win," Elijah replied.

Elena sighed.

"Klaus told me you use to study in Whitmore," Elijah started another topic.

"Yeah," Elena replied. "I finished my program now I am planning to go to a grad school after Care's wedding. Although I am not sure Nick will allow that."

"You don't like Mystic Fall much?" Elijah said judging by her attitude.

"Of course not!" Elena explained with a twinkle in her eye. "I like Mystic Falls. But there are so many problems here besides I don't want to spend the rest of my eternal life here in this small town. I wanna travel the world. I wanna meet new people. Experience new culture."

Elijah smiled as she talked explaining her ambitions.

"You'll get to do that after you find your mate," Elijah said. "Someday. That's the beauty of eternity. We have forever."

Elena smiled and said, "Someday. For now, I have duties to my family."They won't even let me out of the town without a bunch of vamps to guard me."

"They are just looking out for you," Elijah said defending his friend's Klaus's intentions. He knew exactly why Klaus wouldn't let her out of his sight. "You know how dangerous "Rippers" are? They would be looking for any chance to harm your brother and family. Besides, you're a young vampire. You aren't much strong yet. You would need older vampires to guard you."

"Yeah but sometimes my family gets on my nerves" Elena replied.

"You know, Honey…Elena," Elijah suggested seeing her sad. "I can ask for Klaus's permission and take you out of the city. I am quite old so I don't think we would need guard vampires to keep you safe."

Elena smiled and said, "I would like that."

"Well then," before Elijah could finish his sentence Isobel rushed through the front door.

"Oh, there you are, Honey," Isobel said as she walked toward Elena.

Her calculating eyes scanned Elijah before she smiled.

"Mum, this is Mr. Elijah Smith," Elena introduced. "They came over here for…for you know…Care's wedding and Elijah this is my mother Isobel Mikelson ."

"So nice to meet you, Mr. Smith," Her mother smiled enthusiastically. "I have heard so much about you from Klaus."

Elena rolled her eyes since she knew what was going through her mother's mind right now. Ever since Klaus got hitched her mother had been trying to set her up with someone.

"Likewise Mrs. Mikelson " Elijah replied.

"Ummm I have cake testing to go to," Elena said as she rushed outside. "Please excuse me."

..

..

..

He woke up abruptly as soon as the dream ended. Sliding the hand of the woman sleeping beside him off his shoulder he zoomed to his closet and pulled out a sketchpad and pencil. Today, he saw her lips. Her delicious kissable lips. These dreams were becoming more discontinuous now which worried him because he loved to see her. But he never got to see her full face. It was either the lips or her beautiful brown hair or sometimes if he was lucky enough he would see her eyes.

Her brown doe eyes.

He loved her eyes. He had an obsession with her eyes. They were so full of innocence. They had the most different shade of brown. Like one of the rays of warm sun spread throughout the sky during sunrise. Her eyes reflected pure love, care, sincerity and a glint of mischief. Too bad they didn't exist in reality. Mesmerizing eyes like that can't possibly exist.

He sketched the lips he just saw in his dream.

"Who is she?" a shrill voice pierced his ears. Ugh! She is awake again. He really didn't like when they talked. But he wasn't in a bad mood today. He had seen "her" after a whole week.

"I don't know."

He took out another page of his notebook staring at the eyes he drew a month ago. He had sketched it to perfection yet he felt like he couldn't do them justice.

"Damon?" she tried to get his attention.

"Andie! Go back to bed" he ordered. "On second thought. We are done for the night. I have enough blood in my system and I am fully satisfied otherwise as well. You should just leave."

"but it's the middle of the night"

"I said to leave"

She huffed, annoyed before muttering something under breath and picking up her clothes before leaving.

He went through his notepad again. This was getting ridiculous. He had been seeing her since last two years. He had even told Bonnie, his best friend's mate and who was a witch about "her". Even Bonnie couldn't figure out who she was. These dreams started disappearing six months ago and he started panicking. He had grown attached to her. So now whenever he saw her, he would sketch her. Stefan, his brother told him that she was just a fragment of his imagination but somehow he felt like he had some deep connection with "her". He kept the notepad on the side table as he jumped on his bed again.

He hoped he would dream about her again.

..

..

..

Klaus stood there as Elena and Caroline came back after abusing his credit card to the fullest. Not that he minded. He was filthy rich since he had been practically living for about thousand years.

"And exactly where had you two been?" he asked crossing his arms.

"Shopping," Caroline answered.

"Don't worry Klaus. I was with her the whole time," Elena said.

"She is a newborn, Honey," Klaus scolded her. "She can attack humans out in open."

"Hey!" Caroline shouted. "I told her to take me to shop since you have been so busy taking care of that witches clan from like past week. Besides I am an independent woman. I can go out wherever I want. You might be my freaky vampire mate but you don't order me around" Caroline said as she dropped the bags on a rug.

She noticed a cross brow on the table. "Look, a toy crossbow" Caroline squeaked as she picked it up and playfully point at Klaus.

"Caroline…that's not…" Before Elena could warn her she pressed the automatic button and the metallic bow went straight and plunged into Klaus's stomach.

Klaus groaned. Caroline zoomed to his side.

"I AM SO SORRY," she said as she tried to pull it out.

"It's…It's…okay…" he said as he tried to swat her hands away so he could pull it out.

"No, let me," Caroline insisted but as she moved toward him, her foot got caught in the bag she just dropped moments ago.

Caroline tried to gain her footing but she slipped and pushed Klaus into the glass table behind him. Klaus groaned as he felt the shards of glasses pressed into his palm.

"I am so sorry, Love" Caroline tried to help again not before she accidentally knocked a lamp on his head.

"Stop before you kill him," Elena said when she saw Caroline try to help Klaus again after apologizing for dropping the lamp on him.

"It's…It's a good thing he is a vampire with instant healing," Kol interrupted them, laughing. Elena helped her brother up.

"I am so sorry," Caroline pressed every syllable to show just how sorry she was.

"It's…It's okay love," Klaus said as he groaned when Elena pulled out the arrow plunged inside him.

Caroline's eyes pooled with tears as she saw her mate in pain. She could feel his pain too. That's what vampire bonding did. You could feel your mate's pain too. You could feel their presence when they are around. You would know when they are in danger.

"It's okay love, " Klaus said as he showed his almost healed bruises. "See I am all okay now."

"I am such a terrible wife," Caroline said as she hugged him.

"Hey,hey," Klaus soothed her.

Elena watched as her brother comforted his mate. She smiled at the couple. In a matter of seconds, Klaus managed to make her smile again.

They sat on the dining table as Caroline served them dinner. They discussed the wedding plans as usual.

"I want the best wedding dress…like the one Bella wore in Breaking Dawn," she rambled. "It should be like when I enter everyone drops their jaws" she rambled.

"We can check out Macy's and Loe's," Elena suggested. "They have the best wedding dresses! Oh! We could check out Jasmine's."

"Elena!" Klaus warned.

"Oh," Elena apologized looking down. "I am so sorry. I totally forgot. They shifted to the Ripper's side."

Caroline looked at Klaus who was glaring at Elena. "Yes, they did," Klaus confirmed. "So you two better stay away from that area."

"I will."

Caroline hated it when Klaus used that tone with Elena. True, he loved his sisters to death. Kol and Klaus could die for their sisters if it came down to that but she hated it when they bullied Elena around. And she wouldn't be lying if she said that Elena and Rebekah would do everything their brothers asked them to do. She was completely devoted to her brothers. That's what drew Caroline to their family. They could die for each other.

"Caroline, Klaus clearly said that we aren't allowed to step a foot in their territory," Elena flat out refused when Caroline suggested they check out the wedding dresses in Jasmine Boutique that now was in the Ripper's territory.

"Honey, it's not like Klaus or the Rippers will ever find out we are vampires from Original's side. For all, they know we are some tourist innocent humans on a shopping trip."

"Caroline!" Elena exclaimed. "Crossing boundary means getting killed. That's a risk I will never take. Do you not listen to Klaus's horror stories of the vampires on another side of the boundary? Seriously what's the matter with you?"

"Okay," Caroline said as she sighed. "Fine. It's just... I want to look the prettiest bride of Mystic Falls."

"You will."

Elena hooked her arm with Elijah as they walked slowly toward her apartment. She moved out a year ago from her parent's house even after their strong protest against her decision. But she had Klaus on her side who believed she was old enough to make her own decisions. She was the after all the baby of the family and everyone treated her that way. Isobel had come like a ray of sunshine in Mikael's life after 70 years of being alone. Even though Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah despised her mother, they never hated Elena. Elena being born itself was a miracle. That's why she was heavily pampered by her siblings.

..

..

"Freya really wants to see you," Elijah said as they reached her apartment. "It's been awhile I took interest in certain lady and she really wants to see who the beautiful young lady is that I have been talking so much about."

Elena smiled.

"Freya is your younger sister?" Elena asked.

"Yes."

"She is a newly turned vampire too?"

"Well…yeah," Elijah said and proudly added. "Only 237 years old."

Elena cracked.

"What's so funny?"

"How old are you again?" Elena asked between her giggles.

"Okay, I get it," Elijah said as he narrowed his eyes. "Making fun of my age. I am still 230 years younger than your brother."

Elena laughed. Elijah narrowed his eyes but then smiled.

"You know, Klaus is very protective of you," Elijah said.

"Isn't every elder brother?" she replied.

"However he allowed me to take you out to New York next Saturday that too without guards" Elijah completed and Elena nearly squeaked.

"He did!" she squealed in happiness as she hugged him. "Oh! Thank you…Thank you."

She felt his arms circle around her. She stiffened. She pulled back almost immediately. Female vampires weren't allowed to be so friendly with male vampires who weren't their mate or either related to them. Especially female vampires from her clan. It created problems.

"Umm…I will call you" Elijah said.

She nodded as she turned around.

..

..

Caroline watched him from a distance as her mate briefed other vampires. Her mate was a warrior in the true sense. Always alert. Always confident. But that's not what drew her to him. It was his shy smile and his strong love for his family that had attracted her to him. Most girls would scream and run in the other direction if they knew what he really was. A vampire. And not just a vampire. An "Original" Vampire. He was not only one of the strongest vampires in the world but also one of the most dangerous.

But whenever he was around her, he was different. He was more relaxed. As his mate, she could sense his mood. She could even reach his thoughts sometimes if she concentrated hard enough. That only happened, once in awhile. Their bonding was still new and it would take time before it grew strong. Right now, he was concentrating on something really hard.

His phone chimed. Klaus picked up. With her new super hearing, she discovered the person on the other line was Elijah Smith.

"I dropped her home safely. Thank you for trusting me with this."

"You're the only one I think is good enough," Klaus said in a tense tone. "But make sure she doesn't find out. She might not appreciate this."

"You have my word she won't," Elijah said before he hung up.

Klaus stuffed his phone back in the pocket of his jeans.

"What was all that about?" Caroline asked.

"Nothing. Just some…stuff,"

"What stuff?" Caroline asked. Klaus pressed his lips. Caroline had a bad habit of interfering with things that didn't concern her.

"Elijah is interested in Elena." he replied, not that he could hide anything from her.

"And you're okay with that?" Caroline asked. "Last time you found out about a guy's interest in Honey you nearly killed him. If it weren't for Honey you would have ripped his head off."

"Don't remind me of that worthless piece of shit," Klaus said as he poured himself a drink from the blood bag. "He was no match for her. Elena needs someone with a strong background. Elijah is perfect for her. He belongs from a very old and noble vampire family. Think of our power if we get Smith family's alliance permanently,"

"Power," Caroline said. "Power. Power. Is that all you think about? Nick! You're not gonna force Elena into this."

"Of course not, Love," Klaus replied immediately. "She is my sister. I only want the best for her. Elijah is the best. But if she doesn't like him I won't force her to be with him."

He didn't like to upset her. She was newborn. She didn't know the trouble their family will be if anyone found out about Elena's ability. Elijah was about 800 years old. He was one of the strongest vampires Klaus had the opportunity to meet. He was perfect for his plan.

"I don't like the look on your face Klaus," Caroline broke his thoughts.

"What look?" he asked.

"I-have-a-hidden-agenda-look…I don't like that" Caroline said.

"I don't have any hidden agenda, Love," he said as he tied his hands behind her waist. "I only do what's best for my family."

"Anyway, did you find your dress?" he asked, clearly a way to distract her.

"I can't wait to see you dressed up in all white coming down the aisle to me," he added, as he kissed her jawline. "I can't wait to have you for the rest of my life."

She smiled, blushing and said, "Technically, you already have me. Vampire bonding and all…you made sure I can never escape."

"Yes, you're my prisoner…you're mine. Forever and ever,"

She laughed her magical laugh. He couldn't take his eyes off her face. She would never fail to dumbfound him with her beauty and her careless laugh. She was caring, beautiful and amazing. He picked her and threw her on his shoulder without so much as effort.

"Eee…where are you taking me?"

"Where you belong," he replied as he zoomed them inside their bedroom.

..

..

Elena received a text from Elijah again. He was asking about her day. Elena smiled and replied to his texts. Her family, her brother specifically never allowed any male vampires to come close to her, not that anyone would dare somehow even Klaus encouraged her to see him. In fact, he suggested the idea of Elijah being her Miss Mystic Fall's final event escort.

If being Niklaus Mikelson's sister had perks. It had its drawbacks too. Male vampires in the clan kept their eyes down whenever they were in a house in her presence. One wrong look could set off Klaus. And the vampires that tried were nearly killed if she didn't stop her brother on time.

She was treated like a princess and only someone very strong and Klaus approved could become her mate. And it seemed like Elijah covered all requirements to become her mate. Not that she was thinking about it. Something was still missing. Sure, he was the decent guy and they had a spark. But something still seemed off.

"Honey!" Caroline snapped her out of her thoughts.

"How do I look in this one?" she asked, twirling in another wedding dress.

Elena shook her head.

"I don't like it but let's ask Becky," she said as she snapped Caroline's picture and send it to Rebekah.

"She looks so fat in it-Becky" Rebekah replied instantly.

"Why does he even like her?" Rebekah sent another text.

"She is hot and sassy and he is snarky and scheming," Elena replied to Rebekah. "Match made in heaven-Elena."

"That blonde bimbo bitch," Caroline snarled as she saw Rebekah's text on her phone.

"I will show her." Caroline muttered as she made a grab for Elena's phone.

"Don't even think about it. Remember the last time you tried to tackle her" Elena reminded.

Caroline's nose flared in anger at the memory.

"She had you hung up from the terrace railing before you could shout Klaus." Elena added.

"Well! I will shout faster this time" Caroline said. "Did you like the dress?" the salesgirl asked.

"No," Caroline replied with a sigh.

"Oh! Come on! Don't give up. We will find the perfect dress soon" Elena comforted her. Elena's phone chimed again. Elena smiled as she read another text from Elijah. He texted her how he couldn't wait to see her again.

"Ohhh!" Caroline said as she peeked in to see her phone. "Nic was right. He does really like you."

Elena blushed furiously. "Nick knows about this?"

"Nick knows everything that goes on here, Honey," Caroline said as she rolled her eyes. "But he is very happy about this,"

"Oh No," Elena said alarmed. "No. No. I mean yeah Elijah is an amazing guy and I am glad Nick approves but there is nothing like that between us. For now, I am taking it slow. Please don't expect any sudden declaration of undying love from me."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Elena! If Elijah falls in love with you. You do know that there is no escape right? You know how these male vampires get all crazy to get their object of affection and make her their mate. They can kill for their mate."

"I have three "Original" vampire siblings who will erase his memories if he ever went all vamp love on me. I am not afraid." Elena shrugged. "Besides it's not easy for a vampire to fall in love. Look at Nick. He fell in love after almost thousand years of his life."

That was one of the reasons male vampires weren't allowed near her much. Vampires don't fall in love. But when they do there is no going back. They don't rest until they get their object of affection. A year back, a vampire from their clan had claimed to be in love with Elena. She didn't return his feelings and he went all crazy until her brother found out. Kol and Klaus were out for blood but Elena stopped them from killing him. She didn't want someone to be punished for being in love. So, she made her brother remove his memories and had him banished from Mystic Falls.

"Oh yeah! I remember you have a cheat code," Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Being Klaus Mikelson sister has its perks," she replied smirking.

..

..

Damon smirked as he entered the grill. The strong scent of blood nearly blinded him. He walked over to the attractive redhead girl sitting on the bar stool.

"Excuse me!" he complimented and the girl blushed. "I don't mean to sound like a creep but God! You're so beautiful."

In a few minutes and after a few drinks, she was begging him to take her to his house. He feasted on her blood. Her blood dripped from his fangs to his neck as he exhaled. After his thirst quenched he compelled her to leave. He could hear the moaning coming from his brother's room.

"I told that fuckhead not to bring his sluts in my house." he seethed.

He was in a pretty bad mood. He didn't see "her" again in his dreams. It's been a week now. He was desperate for just one look. He stormed into his room and pulled out his sketch pad from his closet.

This was unhealthy. She didn't even exist but he wanted to see her. He had never seen her full face. He heard his best friend enter the main door of the house. He could hear things miles away. He was no ordinary person. He was a vampire. He belonged to the Ripper clan ruled by none other than him. He was ruthless and dangerous. Vampires around the globe were afraid of his power. He might be young then a lot of vampires but he had one of the most powerful clan. He had werewolves, witches, and hunters. He was their uncrowned king.

"I just heard that "The Originals" made a treaty with Smiths," Enzo informed. "Something is up, Damon. I can smell it."

He stuffed the sketchbook back in his closet. "They won't dare attack," he shrugged Enzo off. "Especially now that they know "Bennett Witches" are with us."

"I'm not risking my mate if it comes down to war" Enzo replied.

Damon almost growled. He loved being a vampire but if something annoyed him the most it was protective instincts of male vampires regarding their mates. "Enzo! I am perfectly fine with fighting for our clan if it comes down to that" Bonnie said as she came behind her mate. She touched Enzo's arm and he instantly relaxed at her touch.

Sometimes, Damon envied them. In his 175 years of vampire life, he never felt that for someone like they felt for each other. "What's that?" Bonnie said as she moved toward him. "What?"

She took out the sketch pad that he didn't hide well enough. "No sketch after last week. So that's why you have been so snappy lately" Bonnie mused.

"Yeah! Yeah! No dreams." He snapped as he almost snatched his sketchpad from her. "You two kept telling me it's unhealthy and now I don't see her anymore" he added as if it was their fault he couldn't see the unnamed beauty in his dreams anymore.

"You know I have a theory," she trailed off when he hissed. "Maybe, you're seeing visions of your mate."

"Shush…hush. I am gonna stop you right there. She is not my mate. I don't believe in that "mate concept "or whatever. This girl is just a figment of my imagination. A beautiful figment of my imagination but it's still imagination. Vampires don't love"

"I fell in love," Enzo corrected.

"Because," he begun. "You're stupid and now, No more time wasting. Tonight is your turn to guard the borders. Scram!"

Once, they were both out of his room, he dropped on his bed. The sketchpad fell but he caught it before it touched the ground. He flipped open the pad and took out his favorite sketch of her eyes. He lay back and stared at the sketch he made of her angelic eyes weeks ago. A sad smile crept on his face. Innocent eyes like that couldn't be real. Not in the world, he lived in. Even if it did, he wasn't worthy enough to see her. Yet, he wished he could get a glimpse of her tonight in his dreams.

..

..

Elena filled the cup with the blood from the blood bag. Out of all her family, she couldn't drink from the vein. The one reason she was her family's favorite child was that she never killed. They were vampires. The killing was in their nature. But in her lifetime, she hasn't killed a single person. She was innocent. As soon as she finished her cup, she disposed the plastic cup and placed the blood bag back in the fridge.

"Honey!" Her mother called her from across the house. She zoomed where her mother was. Her father was sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper while her mother was standing near dress designers she must have compelled.

"This is my daughter," her mother explained. "Take her measurements. I want a royal blue sweetheart neckline lace beading dress with a flowing skirt for the final event of Miss Mystic Falls Competition. It should be breathtaking. It should be perfect."

"Yes Ma'am" the compelled dress designer nodded signaling her assistant to write down instruction.

"Becky has few good ideas as well," Isobel added. "You should visit her before the final event to take some pointers from her."

Elena's phone chimed interrupting her mother's instruction.

"It's Care. I gotta take this" she said as she zoomed out of the house.

Isobel wasn't very fond of Caroline. But she was Klaus's mate so Isobel had to respect that.

"Hey Care!" she said as she picked up.

"Honey," Caroline said in a hushed tone. "Are you alone?"

"Yeah!" she said as she put a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What's up?"

"Honey…You…you gotta save me"

"Care! What's wrong?" Elena said, alarmed.

"I-I'm at the Ripper's side" Caroline uttered.

Elena let out a laugh. "Good one, Care," she said in between giggles.

"I'm not kidding, Honey," Caroline rambled. "I took the Richmond route. I found the perfect dress…it's really beautiful with a mermaid tail and…anyway my car isn't working. I can't take a cab because I am scared they will recognize me. Please, Hon, you have to help me. Nick will kill me if he finds out."

"Care! Elena pleaded. "Please tell me you're playing a trick on me. Tell me! This is just a joke."

"I am really sorry," Caroline begged. "I should have listened to Nick. I am stuck, Hon. Please! Please! Help me."

"You…Oh! God! I gotta inform Nick. Care! We will be there. Stay wherever you are"

"No…You can't. Nick will have to launch an attack. People will get hurt because of me. I can't have that. There had to be another way."

"Can't you just come and pick me up?" Caroline rambled, scared.

"The boundaries are heavily guarded," Elena said. "Female vampires aren't even allowed to go close to the boundaries."

"Please," she begged. "Elena, Just save me this one time. I promise I will always follow the rules. I will always listen to Nick. Please! Please!"

"Which route did you use?"

"The highway one," Caroline answered.

"I am on my way" Elena muttered as she raced to her car.

She quickly took out her phone and texted to Rebekah.

"Something really important came up. Cover up for me please if Nick calls-Elena."

She heard her phone chime instantly. She jumped in her Hyundai Tucson that her brother gifted her on her third vampire transition birthday. She connected her phone to the Bluetooth of the car stereo as she raced toward the route Caroline took to enter "The Ripper" side of Mystic Falls.

"Where are you going?" She heard Rebekah as soon as she accepted the incoming call.

"Richmond with Caroline to meet some old friends from college to invite them to Nick's wedding." she lied through her teeth.

"Nick allowed you to go to Richmond, alone?" Rebekah asked, shocked.

"Becky!" Elena answered clearly annoyed. "Why would I ask you to cover for me if he allowed us to go?"

She didn't snap back at her older sister usually. She respected her immensely. But right now her mind was somewhere else. She was worried about her best friend. Besides, taking care of Caroline was her duty. Klaus would have her skinned if something ever happens to Caroline.

"Turn back your car now. I am not covering up for you," Rebekah ordered immediately. "I am not gonna lie to Nick." They were all very loyal to her older brother.

"It's too late for that," she lied again. "I am already in Richmond."

"Elena!" Rebekah said, strictly. "What the hell is wrong with you? You know ever since Caroline came into our lives you have become rebellious. This is the last time I am covering up for you but your behavior really concerns me. We will be having the serious talk about your attitude once you return."

"Thank you, sis," Elena said as she took a sharp turn. "You're the best."

Only five more miles. In fifteen minutes she will be in enemy territory. Her mind was screaming at her to go back. This was wrong. Her family would skin her if they ever find out about this. She gulped, audibly as she raced to the barrier. This was it. She could still go back. She could call her brothers and let her family deal with the situation. She was young. Only five years in vampire age. She couldn't fight them. but then Caroline would get in trouble. Caroline's worried face swam before her eyes. She pressed the accelerator and raced inside to the enemy territory.

..

..

Caroline roamed around the empty street trying to be discrete. She didn't want anyone to notice was dark now. Too dark. She concentrated on keeping herself calm. She must not feel threatened or Klaus would know. He could sense the emotions she was feeling. He was after all her mate. She kept on thinking about the wedding to keep herself calm and happy. Her eyes roamed the streets of Ripper's Mystic Falls. Yes, it was quite different from Klaus's side. Everyone in Klaus's side knew her. She was treated like royalty. Even the humans who weren't aware of her status as "Original" queen respected her immensely since Klaus basically owned Mystic Fall. She had been so used to the safety provided by her mate that she had been overconfident when she came here on Ripper's side. How can she be so stupid?

"Excuse me?"

Caroline span around. She was facing a dark skinned beautiful girl.

"Do you need any help?" the girl asked.

"Umm…I," Caroline answered uncomfortably. "My car broke. But I called my friend. She will pick me up."

Just then Caroline spotted Elena's car racing toward her. She stopped the car right in front of her. Elena panicked when she saw Caroline talking to someone. One thing. She asked Caroline to do one thing and that was to stay discrete.

"God!" she nearly growled. "Becky is so right. She is a bimbo." She jumped out of the car swishing her long locks to her back.

"Caroline!" Elena said as she gave her friend a curt nod. "I…I am here. Let's go."

"Yeah, okay," Caroline nodded. "What about your car?" the dark-skinned girl asked.

"I will just pick it up tomorrow," Caroline said. Her car was the last thing she needed to worry about. She made a move to leave but then she remembered the reason she came here.

"Oh!" Caroline said as she turned back. "Wait. Elena. Let me take my dress."

Elena groaned in frustration. She didn't want to stay here another second. Caroline picked up the huge box from the backseat.

"Just a minute," she said as she walked toward Elena's car. "You are gonna love it. It's the most beautiful dress ever." Caroline prattled.

She could feel the other girl's eyes on her as she walked. As usual, Caroline didn't focus on anything other than the topic she was discussing with her best friend. As she sprinted, her foot trip over something. The girl reached out to hold her.

"Vampires," the girl whispered. Elena knew their game was up. She zoomed toward the girl, holding the girl by her neck.

 _ **10 minutes earlier**_

Bonnie had been watching the worried blonde girl pacing around the street for a while now. She kept looking at her watch or kept playing with her phone. She closed the door of her bookshop. She walked toward the girl.

"Excuse me"

The blonde girl span around. A look of worry covered her face. She looked very scared. Bonnie was sure she wasn't from Mystic Falls.

"Do you need any help?" she asked. She was after one of the guardians of Mystic Falls. It was her duty to help people in need.

"Umm…I…My car broke," the girl answered in a very frightened tone as if she had committed some sort of crime. "But I called my friend. She will pick me up

Just then a car raced toward where they were standing and stopped in front of them. A beautiful girl jumped out of the car, pushing her long brown silky hair back. And Bonnie couldn't help but notice she seemed familiar. Apparently, she was the friend that blonde girl had just told her about. Bonnie couldn't help but notice she looked very stressed and afraid. Her cheeks were flushed.

Bonnie was about to leave when the blonde girl turned back to her car. She picked up a big box telling her friend how amazing her dress was. She was so lost in her conversation with her friend that she didn't notice when one of the heels of her pumps broke. Bonnie reached out for her to catch the girl before she hits the ground.

Instant darkness covered Bonnie's vision for a second. Her magic allowed her to see who this girl really was. She was the vampire. But, she wasn't one of their vampires. Bonnie knew all the vampires that were residing under Ripper's rule.

"Vampires" she murmured. In an instant, the brunette girl zoomed toward her and held her by her neck.

Elena had never killed anyone and she wasn't going to start now even if this girl was her enemy. However, Caroline was her family and she has been taught all her life that family comes first. She was about to throw the girl across the road hard enough to knock her out when she felt someone grip her from her wrist.

"Honey, watch out!" Caroline warned but it was too late.

The person had thrown her on Caroline's car with full force. She felt shards of glass from the windshield pressed into her palms. True, she was the vampire but she could still feel pain.

"Bonnie?" the man asked in the worried tone as he cupped his mate's cheeks. "Are you okay?

"Yeah…Enzo. I am okay."

"I will deal with them, you call for help" he ordered her as he stood in front of her, protectively.

Elena vamped out, growling at him. Enzo launched at her but she dodged him. Caroline vamped out and ran to Elena's defense at vampire speed. But before she could attack the male vampire known as Enzo, she felt a strange pain in her head. She felt as if someone had set her head on fire. She shouted in agony.

Elena stared in horror at her sister-in-law who was shouting in pain. She looked at the girl known as Bonnie. The girl was glaring at Caroline without blinking as if casting a spell. That's it. She was the witch. Elena broke the glass of the store behind her and threw it at the girl, breaking her eye contact with Caroline. The vampire, Enzo growled at her and launched at her again. Caroline attacked him from the back. Elena pushed the vampire off her while Caroline kneed him in the groin. Elena's ear picked up footsteps from further away. Elena stiffened.

"More vampires!" Elena yelled. "Care! We can't take them all. Run!"

..

..

Enzo tried to make a grab for them but both the women vampires zoomed in opposite directions. Enzo panted heavily. Although, both of the female vampires were young they were well trained.

"Where are they?" he was started by his chief's voice.

"I can smell her scent," Stefan, chief's brother said and added, "one of the girl went toward the forest," before he zoomed toward the scent with Lexi, Troy, and Slater following him.

"The other one went toward the clock tower," Bonnie informed him. Damon nodded as he signaled Enzo to follow him.

He could smell that girl's scent. She was close by. Vampires other than his clan weren't allowed in their territory without his permission. And any vampires who would dare to enter their territory without some valid reason and his permission would be subjected to immediate death by their clan. And these girls were going to die for sure since they dared to attack his best friend's mate.

..

..

Elena panted hard as she raced behind the clock tower. She stopped breathing as she heard the two male vampire's faint footsteps.

"Listen!" she heard a velvety yet dangerous voice. "Girl! It's no use to hide. Come out now and I might consider giving you a chance to explain yourself before I kill you."

She pressed her lips as she hid behind the wooden body of the clock tower. She bit her lip. There was no escape. The boundary to her brother's part of town was in completely opposite direction. She cursed herself for listening to Caroline again. She should have called Klaus. Now she had done it.

"It would be smart of you if you voluntarily brought your ass back up here and don't make me come get you," the same velvety voice warned in a very dangerous tone.

 _Screw you,_ she thought as lowered on her feet.

It was too dark here. She couldn't even make out her way using her vampire vision. She nearly whimpered in fear. She could now hear silent footsteps approaching her side of the clock tower.

"Listen to me you bitch," the voice threatened and she felt chills run down her spine. "You're testing my patience now. You come to my territory and attacked my clan member. Now you have two options. Option one, come out and explain your agenda for your presence in my territory without my permission and I will kill you in the most painless way possible or option two, you could try to run or stay in your hiding place and hope to God that I get struck by lightning or something because when I get my hands on you…you're gonna wish you were never born in the first place"

She looked up and prayed to God that he never finds her. She remembered all the stories her family had told her about Rippers. They were ruthless. She was scared now.

"Boo," the vampire, Enzo said as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

She screamed on top of her lungs and dashed to the other side to run for her life. She collided into someone's chest. She nearly fell from the force. She knew there was no chance for her escape but she was never the one who gave up easily. She wasn't going down without a fight. Her long hair curtained her face as she launched a punch that was successfully blocked by the vampire she didn't know. He was very strong. She had no chance against him. She knew it was the cowardly thing to do but she tried to dash only to be blocked by the other vampire, Enzo. She searched for something in her jeans pocket. Anything. Her hand found her cell phone. She took it out and smashed it against his face as hard as she could. Enzo cried in pain.

..

..

The girl knew how to fight. Damon would give her that. But she was no match for him. She was a fresh vampire. She zoomed again, trying to run. He was older thus making him stronger and faster. He dashed in front of her blocking her path. She gasped and tried to run again in opposite direction but he blocked her again, standing in front her. He nearly chuckled at her desperateness to get away from him. She was shivering in fear. He couldn't help but notice her mouthwatering petite sculptured figure with curves at just the right places. She looked as delicate as glass. Too bad she was going to die.

She tried to run again but he zoomed in front of her. The darkness of the night was making it hard for him to see her face that was already curtained by her long silky hair. Elena has had enough, clearly, this vampire was in the mood to play games.

To hell with it, she thought. "I am a Mikelson. We fight till our last breath."

With that on her mind, she growled at him and attacked. Damon was surprised and astonished at this newborn vampire's move. She clearly had a death wish if she dared to attack the leader of "Rippers."

He growled back and held her by a neck. He pushed her against the wooden wall of the clock tower. She tried to push him off him. He pinned her hand on either side of her head as his fangs spurt out. This was it. He would kill her now. This was the end. Elena yelped and squeezed her eyes shut.

Before he could bite her and kill her, the light of the clock tower fell on her face. His eyes darted up from her neck to her lips as she thrashed to get free. He stiffened. He had seen them before. He could recognize them anywhere. He had sketched them numerous times. Yearned to taste them for two years now. His eyes roamed her face to her eyes which were tightly shut.

"Please!" Elena begged. "Please! Let me go." That's when she noticed his growling had stopped. "Open your eyes." He ordered in the shaky voice. This couldn't be her.

Her eyes flickered open. A sculptor could not have fashioned her doe eyes any better filed to perfection. He was right. He never could do justice to her beautiful doe eyes whenever he sketched them. Her crescent-shaped eyebrows inclined slightly as she saw him staring at her. Her jewel of eyes blinked slowly, surprised by his sudden behavior change. A sudden smile crept on his face. This was her. The girl of his dreams. Literally.

..

..

 _Do take a minute to review, please. Your words would make my day. I'll post more re-edited chapters soon._


	3. The further you push me the closer I get

**Chapter 2: 'The further you push me the closer I get'**

* * *

She saw him gazing into her eyes. He seemed spellbound by her. His grip on her wrists loosened. This was her one chance. With a fierce growl, she pushed him off her. She vamp sped toward the field. She heard him chuckle and dash in front of her. She snarled at him, trying to warn him away from her. The other vampire Enzo was behind her. She turned back growling at him. They started circling her, making it impossible for her to escape.  
"Baby Vamp, Surrender. There is no escape now." Dhe heard that same velvety voice again.

She spun around, facing him, the vampire that had been holding her just a few moments ago. She panted. This was it. She was dead. But if she was going down, she was at least going to take down one of her brother's enemy with her. She vamped out and launched herself at that vampire. He easily caught her and twisted her around, slamming her back to his chest, that's when she heard a snap. Darkness took over her.

..

..

She attacked him but Damon was stronger, he twisted her in his arms, slamming her back against him before he snapped her neck. She wasn't dead, obviously. She was vampire. She would wake up in a matter of hours or maybe a day.

Enzo picked up a stake as he drew closer to the girl in his arms.

"No," He ordered.

"But…She…"

"I said no. I need to know who she is and why was she here?"

"She could be one of the _Originals,_ " Enzo reminded him.

"She is young. Not even a decade old. She can't possibly be from _Originals_." Damon said as he picked the girl up, bridal style.

Enzo didn't look convinced but he nodded.

..

..

He dropped her carefully on the bed while Bonnie chanted a spell that would make it next to impossible for the girl vampire to leave the room. She was still a threat. Stefan hasn't still returned with the other girl.

"Why are we taking a risk? Why can't we just stake her already?" Jules muttered.

"I don't know, Ask him." Enzo replied signaling their chief who was busy looking at the girl with interest, a small smile playing on his lips.

"The _werewolves_ will be here any minute. They will want to know why you haven't killed the intruder yet," Jules told him as she stepped toward him.

"That's my headache. I will handle them." Damon replied turning around, giving her a strict look. They weren't supposed to question the chief. Jules cowered under his stare. She nodded and left.

He turned back to the girl. She still wasn't breathing.

"What's going on? Damon." Bonnie finally asked. He looked at her once. He could trust her. Enzo and Bonnie were the closest thing to family after his brother. He zoomed to his closet and took out his sketchpad. He threw it at her. Bonnie caught it expertly, flipping it open. She gasped.

"This is her," she breathed.

"What?" Enzo was on her side in a second. He took the sketchpad from her. He looked at the sketches once and then scanned the girl on the bed. "How…How is that even possible?" he said, looking puzzled.

"I have no fucking idea. I just met her today. Bonnie, can't you do your mumbo jumbo and find out why I have been seeing this girl?" he asked, impatiently.

Just then Stefan appeared in the doorway. "The other girl escaped to _Original's_ territory," Stefan informed.

Enzo's eyes narrowed. "Do you think she is from their side?" Bonnie asked.

"She didn't look from Mystic Falls at all. She is definitely a new vampire. She was just running randomly… _Originals_ would never keep amateurs like her in their clan. That mixed breed worthless lowlife Klaus only keep the best in his clans." Stefan briefed.

"We still have the other one." Enzo signaled to girl vampire lying as if sleeping.

Elena could hear them talk about her family. She wasn't fully conscious yet but she could hear them. So, Caroline made it. That bitch ran away and left her to face the wrath of _Rippers_ if they ever find out she was indeed an _Original_. She prayed Caroline would inform Klaus about her.

"She is awake," Bonnie informed everyone in the room.

 _Damn that witch_. Elena thought. Her eyes shot open. She prepared to attack them again. She attacked the one closest to her, the one with icy blue eyes. With a growl, he threw her back on the bed. Her head slammed against the headboard of the bed.

"Are you seriously that stupid?" he growled and she flinched. "This room is full of vampires a century older than you. Killing you would be a piece of cake for us. So unless you don't want to get your heart pulled and stuffed down your throat, I suggest you keep put," he added in a threatening tone.

Elena gritted her teeth but she nodded.

"Good girl," he said, in a mocking tone.

"Now…" he said as he got close. She recoiled as if he was something disgusting. But the truth was he was far from that. Now that she could see him in the light. He was tall and very well built. His features were alluring and seductive. His icy blue eyes although cold were mesmerizing and full of intensity.

"Like what you see?" He said as he smirked. She scoffed looking away. He was attractive and she had to admit she felt her heart race for a second but then she reminded herself that he was the enemy. Her family's biggest enemy. She shouldn't be mesmerized by him. She should be disgusted.

Damon didn't like her attitude. Gripping her chin, he made her look at him. "I am not done talking."

Elena audibly gulped. She felt fear take over her senses. "Who are you?" he asked, staring at her eyes as if trying to compel her.

"You can't compel me. I am a vampire," she said in a strong tone.

"I know but I have a witch over here who will torture you if you don't tell us who you are and why did you come here? And don't you dare lie," he said in a dead calm tone that still managed to send chills down her spine.

She didn't reply. They would kill her in a heartbeat if she revealed that she was Klaus Mikelson's sister and the daughter of Mikael and Isobel Mikelson. _Come-on Caroline! Where are you?_ She thought.

..

..

Klaus knew something was really wrong. He had felt that Caroline was uneasy but he ignored it. Not because he didn't care but because she was always so full of emotions over the smallest things. A week before he had felt that she was feeling depressed. When he inquired to her about it she told him that her favorite TV show got cancelled. But right now, she was feeling fear. As if her life was on the line. Who could dare to scare his mate like that?

He rushed to his apartment. She was sitting on the couch. Her head in her hands. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw him.

"Care! Love! What's the matter? Are you okay?" he asked, startled by her behavior. She tried to smile but failed miserably. Should she tell him? If she did he would be really mad at her. But if she didn't who would rescue Elena.

"Caroline! Your emotions are all over the place. You're scared. What's wrong?" he asked, feeling alarmed now. She felt him trying to access her mind, trying to read her thoughts, the blood bond allowing him to do so but their bond was weak, he couldn't access her just yet. This trick would need time to start working properly.

"Nick!" she warned him. "Don't."

"I was just trying to find out what's gotten you so worried," he replied.

"Then ask me in person. Don't pry on my thoughts," she shouted.

Klaus raised his hands up in surrender. "Okay! Okay! I am sorry…I didn't mean to…It's just…your emotions. You seem like…all day you were disturbed and an hour ago, I sensed that you were in danger. Are you okay?" he asked.

"I am fine, Klaus" she breathed. No! There was no way she could tell Klaus about the biggest mistake she made. Elena will be fine. She would make it back home. If Caroline could make it back, Elena would too right?

"Caroline! Love, You're acting weird."

"I am not acting weird. YOU'RE acting WEIRD. Why are YOU so weird? It's not new though. You are after all a THOUSAND year old creep," She replied. He smirked. If she was talking back to him again she must be fine.

"Where is Honey? I haven't seen her all day," he asked.

"Ummm…."

"She is at Rebekah's place," Kol replied from across the room. "We were all looking for her an hour ago. Isobel called Rebekah and Rebekah told us Honey would be staying with her for the night," Kol informed. "Anyway. I need to tell you something, Klaus. There was some unusual activity at the border today. Trevor informed him that he and Rose saw the Rippers roaming around near the border," Kol informed in a serious tone.

Caroline felt tensed again. Klaus could feel her emotions. Something was wrong. He dashed to her, wrapping his arms around her. For a second, she thought her game was up.

"You don't need to worry about them Love. I promise I will never let them ever harm you," Klaus said stroking her blonde curls. She nodded, plastering a fake smile on her face. Should she tell him that Elena was in trouble? Would he get mad at her? Would he kill her for risking his sister? He was very overprotective of his family, obviously, he won't just let her go for disobeying him. She felt Klaus's lips on hers. He was trying to calm her down.

She kissed him back. "I…I am okay."

"A little word? Klaus?" Kol interrupted again.

"Kol, Can't you see I am busy?" Klaus growled.

"It's okay. I need to shower anyway. We will talk later," Caroline said as she caressed his cheek. He smiled, leaning into her touch. Instead of walking like she usually did, she zoomed into her room.

"What have I done?" she almost broke down.

..

..

"Now, I am gonna ask this nicely one last time," he said as he cupped her face. "What's your name?" he asked softly yet in a voice full of authority. She couldn't say it. She couldn't tell him she was a Mikelson. They would stake her in a heartbeat. She bit her lower lip. His eyes were intense as he waited for her to speak.

"I…My name is Elena."

"Eeelena…"

"Elena Gilbert," she lied through her teeth.

"How old are you?"

"21."

"Real age?" he smirked, slightly.

"I am 26 but I got turned when I was 21," she replied.

"All right. Baby Vamp! Why did you come to my territory?" he asked.

"I…It was a mistake," she replied in a shaky tone as she dropped her eyes on her lap.

"Look at me when I am talking," he almost growled. She had tortured him enough by showing up in his dreams for nearly two years. She wasn't going to hide herself now. She looked up immediately as if scared.

"I didn't know it was your territory. My friend Caroline is getting married. We were here for dress shopping," she said, her voice quivering. Any minute now, they would know she is lying. They would kill her. _"Oh God! Klaus, Kol, Becky. Where are you? Why aren't you here to save me?"_ she mentally screamed.

"If it was an accident then why did you attack my clan member?" he asked and he could hear Enzo snarl. Elena cowered. She looked like a frightened kitten. In his lifetime which was more than a century and half, this was the first time Damon felt sympathetic. He wanted to protect her. Something about her just brought out his protective side. "Enzo! Get a hold of yourself" Damon ordered the vampire standing across to them. Enzo stopped growling immediately.

"I…I wasn't going to kill her. I have never killed anyone. I was just trying to defend my friend. She knew about us. That alarmed us. I swear I was just going to rough her up a bit and then compel her memories away," Elena explained, shaking, admitting her crime.

"You did hurt her. You threw glass at her," Damon reminded her.

"The witch was hurting MY friend as well AND I only threw glass at her to break her eye contact to break the spell. I didn't aim to hit. I was just distracting her," Elena replied immediately.

"Why should we believe you?" the blonde vampire growled at her. His fangs spurting out to scare her. She visibly flinched.

"Damn it! Stefan! Who is the chief here?" Damon growled at his brother, his hands and eyes still on her face. "You are," Stefan replied, his vampire face turned back to his normal face. "Then shut the fuck and let me do my fucking job," Damon warned.

"Now…Answer him." he said glaring at Elena.

She paused a bit but then looked at him, her doe-eyes filled with fear and adrenaline but she was putting on a strong face. "If I wanted to kill her I would have aimed at her throat. I am a vampire. We don't miss our aim. I never aimed to hurt. I ONLY wanted to distract her," Elena replied, strongly. Something told her that if she could make their chief believe her. They might let her go. She just somehow needed to get back at her side of territory.

They seemed convinced.

"Where do you live?" he asked again.

Elena knew this was it. She was done. Unless!

A plan formed in her mind.

"Denver," she replied. That's where her aunt lived. Not technically her aunt though.

"Why did you come here?" Damon asked.

"I told you it was an accident. I didn't know this was restricted territory," she lied, confidently now.

His eyes softened a bit now. "I really didn't mean to cause any trouble. Please! Please! Don't hurt me," she pleaded with slight wetness in the corner of her doe eyes. Her doe-eyes made him go weak in his knees. But he put on a strong facade.

He let go of her delicate face and spun around. "She broke the rule. She didn't ask for permission before she entered our territory but she claims it was a mistake. She admits her mistakes. Her case is particularly different. We need to discuss this. Downstairs." he said as he signaled Stefan and Enzo to follow him out.

"and What about me?" Elena asked.

"I did say we will be discussing the matter downstairs. Didn't I?" Damon replied.

"This is ridiculous. You can't keep me locked in here," Elena hissed.

"Watch the tone, Baby Vamp. You're talking to the chief of "Rippers" right now," he seethed. Never in his life had anyone questioned him. She should be thankful to him to give her a chance to explain herself.

Of course, she knew that. Her eyes flared in anger. Her eyes darted to him and then to the door. Damon knew what she was about to do. Elena saw this as her one chance. She made a dash toward the door using her vampire speed. As soon as she reached the exit, she collided with an invisible barrier and was pushed back in. She fell onto the bed with full force as her head hit the headboard. The vampires in the room with exception to Damon snickered. Damon looked beyond amused though.

"This room is spelled. You can't leave unless I say so," he chimed, enjoying her bewildered expression.

Elena gritted her teeth in frustration. If only he knew who he was dealing with. Then again she was glad he didn't.

He walked out smugly, motioning for Enzo and Stefan to follow him.

Elena leaned against the headboard of the bed as she watched them leave. She circled her arms around her knees. Any minute now. Her family will arrive any minute now. She managed to save herself for the time being but she knew it wasn't going to last long. She was scared and hungry. She hadn't fed since the evening she left from home. She noticed the witch, Bonnie, eyeing her with interest.

"Do you mind?" Elena hissed.

Bonnie frowned but then she shrugged and left.

..

..

"We should have staked her right there," Enzo grumbled.

"She says she wasn't aware it was our area," Damon defended.

"We don't give second chances, Damon. And who says she is even telling the truth? How do we even believe her?" Stefan retorted.

"Valid point," Enzo supported Stefan. "She could be a spy sent by _Originals_. Or maybe that mixed breed lowlife Klaus sent her to put us all down." Stefan added. Damon burst out laughing. Stefan was always paranoid.

"Klaus fucking Mikelson would send a five year old vampire to put "US" all down. Really, Stefan? Okay, I know he is sort of a crackhead but come-on, give him more credit than that. Did you see how scared that girl is of us? There is no way…"

"Just because you have been seeing her in your dreams doesn't suddenly exempt her from all the rules," Enzo retorted.

"What?" Stefan asked, shocked.

"She…She is the girl I have been dreaming about from last two years," he admitted, hesitantly.

"The...Wha…She is that girl?" Stefan said, shocked.

He hesitated but nodded seeing as he couldn't lie anyway. "Unbelievable," Stefan said, eyes widening as he motioned a servant toward him. The woman came toward him and offered him her wrist. Stefan bit her and drank from her.

"I think we should confirm if she is telling the truth about accidentally coming to our area," Bonnie suggested as she came down the stairs. " If she is telling the truth then we have no reason to keep her here," she added.

"But she attacked you," Enzo reminded her.

"She had the right reason for it," she replied. "Besides we have to figure out why Damon kept having visions about her," she reminded them.

"You think they were visions," Damon asked.

"Yes."

"You never mentioned that before," Stefan said, perplexed by Bonnie's sudden statement.

"I never knew she was real before. Hell, she might even recognize her sketches if we…" she was interrupted by his sharp hiss. "Shush! Don't ever mention those to her," he hissed under his breath.

"why?" Bonnie asked.

"She will think I am a creep," he replied, tainted by the very thought.

"Anyway, Tomorrow first thing in the morning I will be taking her to her house in Denver to confirm her identity. I will even check out her clan, see if they would be any trouble to us. We can deal with my creepy visions about the girl that I had never seen before in my life afterwards," he added as he took the other wrist of the girl and tore open her skin before drinking from her.

Somehow, he didn't feel the satisfaction he usually felt when the warm blood filled his mouth. His thoughts went back to the doe-eyed girl he held captive in his room. He had snapped her neck just hours ago. She must be feeling weak too. She needed lots of blood to recover. He tore his fangs away from the girl's wrist.

"The girl…Elena…We should offer her too." Damon said hesitantly. He was never the one who cared…until now. All of them eyed him suspiciously.

"I am just being considerate," He defended himself.

"Sure you are," Bonnie replied, chuckling.

..

..

Elena stiffened when the chief vampire and the witch entered along with a girl. She leaned back on the headboard, alert.

"Calm down, Baby Vamp. We are just here to give you dinner." He said as he pushed the girl slightly toward her. Elena knew the girl was human because her heart pounded fast even if she was compelled to stay calm. Elena despised compulsion. She only used that ability of hers in drastic conditions.

"You need blood to recover from the shock of…coming back to life." he said reminding her that he had snapped her neck, just a few hours ago.

"No, Thank you," she said, moving her face away in disgust.

He saw her expression. Her disgust with him and his offering. For the first time, he was being considerate. Her rejection of his gift stung. Too bad he wasn't used to rejections. He tore open the girl's wrist. Gripping the vampire's chin, he turned her face toward him before she could react he attached the girl's wrist to his doe-eyed vampire's mouth. She choked as she tried to get away but he held the girl's wrist to her mouth.

"Damon! What are you doing?" Bonnie said, looking alarmed.

"She isn't drinking."

Elena tried to say something but he didn't remove the girl's wrist from her face. He wasn't letting go until she drank. HE wasn't having any of her attitude. Even she would have to obey him. The blood from the girl's wrist flowed down Elena's chin to her white shirt, staining it. When Damon was sure a few drops went down her throat. He softened his grip on the girl's wrist. Instantly Elena pushed it away and ran toward the washroom.

He was behind her in a second, using his vampire speed. She bent down over the sink and started vomiting. She was throwing up blood. When she was done, she wiped her face clean and looked at his bewildered expression.

"I can't drink from the vein," she growled at him.

"That is not normal vampire behavior," he managed to choke out.

She didn't reply as she stepped back toward the bed. She felt even more weak now. Damon didn't know what to say. He honestly just wanted to help the girl recover from his attack, an hour ago. But, he was famous for ruining things. The vampire girl, Elena, looked even weaker now. Before he could inquire more about her condition and ask her how he could help.

"Take a picture, it will last longer," she said and he immediately looked away, embarrassed. He realized he had been staring at her the whole time. He reminded himself this wasn't his dream anymore. He can't just keep gazing at her like he used to do in his dreams. This was real. And real girls don't approve of creepy people who keep staring at them.

"So, what did you decide?" she asked.

"I will be taking you to Denver tomorrow to confirm your statement. You still have time to confess in case you're lying."

Elena's face flushed. She knew they won't let her go that easily but she didn't expect the chief himself would go to confirm her identity. Her plan of running away was out the window now.

She squirmed under his strict stare slightly but nodded.

"Four things I can't tolerate. Lies, Bullshit, disrespect and a Mikelson. Liars don't get second chances.I will stake you myself if a single one of your statements turns out to be a lie. You still have a chance…" he said as he stepped closer to her. She took a step back reflexively.

She looked down, ignoring his penetrating gaze.

"Make yourself comfortable. Consider yourself our guest. Bonnie will provide you with everything you need for the night." He said as he spun around to leave. The human girl followed him out.

She exhaled in relief once he left. Something told her this relief wasn't for too long.

..

..

Something wasn't right. Klaus could feel it. He could sense Caroline's emotions. She was in pain. She was trying so hard to control her emotions but it was like she was burning from the inside.

"Love! Are you okay?" he asked, once again. She wasn't asleep yet.

"I am fine."

"Stop lying to me. I can sense your emotions. You're feeling horrible right now. I can feel the misery oozing off you." Klaus said, getting up.

"You know what Nick, I am really regretting this blood bond thing. Stop prying on me," she hissed as she got up.

She knew she should tell him. She should tell him that his sister was in danger. Was she even alive? The guilt was eating her now.

..

..

Damon was waiting outside. Bonnie was supposed to bring out his doe-eyed vampire. And just when he thought they would never come out. They appeared on the doorstep. She was wearing one of Bonnie's sundresses. His expression went blank and his eyes traveled up and down her body. She looked their eyes met she gave him a disapproving look. He didn't like the way she looked at him. He didn't know what he did to deserve those looks though. Apart from snapping her neck and keeping her captive for a night he had done nothing but be kind and considerate to her.

"Ready?" he asked as he opened the car door for her. She shrugged and jumped in. He zoomed to his side. He jumped in and slammed the door shut. He raced the car out of the driveway. He noticed she was awfully silent and reserved. After five minutes of complete silence. He finally cracked.

"You're awfully quiet…" he commented. "Something on your mind?" he added.

She ignored him and looked out of the window thinking of a plan.

"Look! If you're telling the truth then you don't need to be worried. I give you my word that I won't touch a hair on your head. You're safe with me" he added, comforting her.

"Says the vampire who snapped my neck yesterday," she muttered.

"Oh come on! You're still stuck up on that?"

"You killed me," she spat, looking at him.

"Yeah, but did you die?" he replied, looking back at her.

She let out a cold sigh and looked away.

"You were the one who attacked me first," he reminded her.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, another lame try to keep the conversation going.

"Those are my thoughts, that's why they're encapsulated inside my brain." She replied in a cold tone.

"Ha Ha! Snarky… I like you," he said as he chuckled.

"Too bad the feeling isn't mutual," she replied.

He didn't comment. He smirked. She was going to be a tough one. And he loved challenges. He knew she must be used to attention with the kind of looks she had and the kind of body she owned. Her long legs were deliciously murderous. He would kill to trap himself between them.

"Tell me about yourself, what do you do? Where do you work?" he continued the conversation.

"At a fertility office, I stock the porn." She replied.

"I am just trying to keep the conversation going," he said, annoyed by her hostile behavior.

"and I am trying to kill the conversation," she hissed.

"What's your problem, Baby Vamp? I never gave you a reason to hate me. We just met last night, I couldn't have messed it up in that short time," he asked, confused by her behavior.

"Oh! I am sorry. I just wanted to show you that I am not interested in indulging in a conversation with you. See! That's what normal people do when they are forced to stay against their will with someone they despise," she replied in a strong tone.

"Lose the attitude, Elena. I really don't like your tone," he hissed.

"I don't have an attitude problem, you have a perception problem." She hissed back.

Okay. He was blank now. "I don't think I like you anymore," he mumbled.  
"Trust me the feeling is mutual even though your existence is irrelevant to my life," she replied, smirking.

"Pissing a vampire who is a century and a half older than you and has the ability to kill you within a matter of seconds isn't wise, Baby Vamp," he said through his teeth.

"You know I think you're only putting up this façade to hide the fact that you're attracted to me," he added after a second.

"There is not a sponge in the world that can rival yourself absorption." She replied after a while. "and I rather prick my eyes out then be attracted to a guy who is older than my great gramps," she added, smirking.

He flinched visibly by her comment and glared at her. She knew the situation was grave. She knew he was her biggest enemy but even she couldn't keep up her cold façade. She broke into a fit of laughter at his poker face. Her laughter was warm and hearty. He felt like even the birds stopped chirping to listen to her beautiful giggles filling the air. He wanted to stay straight faced, flip her off and intimidate her till she apologized for disrespecting him like that, she was, after all, laughing "at him", and not "with him." But before he could stop himself his mouth twitched upwards and he was smiling. He let out a chuckle as she tried to stifle her giggles.

"Okay! That was uncalled for," she admitted.

"You think?" he replied.

They crossed the border that announced their arrival to Denver and Elena tensed again. "Where to now?" he asked, as he remembered the reason they were there.

"Near the museum," she said, a plan forming in her head again. This could go two ways. She might even end up "hurting them".

"How many members are there in your clan?" he asked, authority back in his tone.

She bit her lower lip. Another lie. "I am the only one. I have a human family. Just my mum and my brother." She said.

"What?" he seemed confused.

"I was turned by an accident. Ummm…my brother and my mum are still human." Elena replied.

"What about your friend? Does she also live with you?" he asked.

"Caroline. I met her in college. She isn't very close." She replied.

"I know. She wouldn't have left you to our mercy if she was a loyal friend." Damon said shrugging, part of him was mad at that girl Caroline for abandoning her friend.

"That's my house." she pointed at the second house. He nodded as he parked the car in front of the house she pointed out.

Just when she was about to jump out of the car, he grabbed her wrist. "One wrong move and I won't think twice about killing you," he warned, his eyes smoldering.

She gulped and nodded.

He let go of her wrist. She slowly jumped out of the car, he mimicked her actions. She walked toward the gate. She took a deep breath before she rang the bell. A while later, Damon heard a woman grumbling coming toward the main gate.

She opened the door. "Mum!" Elena exclaimed as she hugged the woman.

The woman look taken aback but she circled her arms around _his_ doe-eyed vampire. "Elena?" the woman sounded surprised. "Come in," the woman said, smiling.

"I am so tired. Sorry, I stayed out all night," Elena said as she entered, comfortably. Damon followed her. Passing through the small corridor they entered the heavily furnished living room. Elena seemed comfortable. There were pictures of her and a small boy along with the woman Elena claimed as her mother all over the walls. This definitely was her house.

"Oooh! Where are my manners? Mum! This is Damon Salvatore from Mystic Falls. The town Caroline made me go for her wedding dress." Elena explained, trying subtly to inform the woman in front of him. He looked at her suspiciously. "Salvatore…Mys…Mystic Falls" the woman stammered.

"And…this is my mum. Jenna Gilbert." Elena introduced.

The woman, Jenna, looked appalled as he stuck his hand out to shake hers. Jenna reluctantly offered her hand. He took a step closer as he shook her hand. His eyes focused on Jenna's. "Tell me the truth. Is this girl really your daughter?" he asked.

Elena knew what he was doing. He was compelling Jenna. Too bad, he didn't know that her aunt Jenna knew about vampires. She always drank vervain. Jenna stared at him blankly before she nodded. "Yes!" Elena mentally celebrated. Jenna was in on her game. She knew Jenna knew who Damon was.

"How old is she? Vampire age?"

"Five." Jenna replied.

"How many more vampires are there in your family?"

"She is the only vampire in our family" Jenna replied.

"Who turned her?"

"A friend of my late husband's," Jenna replied, saying the first thing that came to her mind.

"How did you know about vampires?"

"My aunt was a researcher." Jenna replied.

"Where is your aunt?"

"Dead." Jenna replied. Technically she wasn't lying, Isobel indeed was dead. Vampires are dead. Aren't they?

"How many vampires do you know?"

"Five. You, Elena, My husband's friend and two of my daughter's friends from college." she replied.

"Are you in any way connected to Mikelsons?" he asked.

"Never heard of em" Jenna answered, almost shivering at that point. Elena's eyes danced to him and Jenna, time to time.

A smirk appeared on Damon's face. Elena knew she was free now. Jenna had just saved her from painful and cruel death.

"Is Elena single?" he asked, smirking and eyes till focused on Jenna's.

"Uhh…yes" Jenna replied.

"Will you mind if I take her on a date?" he added, looking at Elena from the corner of his eye.

"What the hell?" Elena growled at him pushing him slightly. She held his wrist and dragged him to the exit door with her. "Already taking me to your bedroom?"

"You need to leave."

"Now, that you're free of charges. I was thinking we should hang out." He said, looking amused. "This Saturday" he added.

"I'd love to go out with you on Saturday, but I'm going to have a migraine that night," Elena replied, sweetly but putting as much venom as possible in her tone.

"Don't be ridiculous. Vampires don't get headaches," he retorted.

"One date won't hurt you. It won't even be a big deal. Just some pizza and sex?" he whispered. She looked appalled by his crudeness.

"No? Why? Don't you like pizza?" he asked, puzzled.

"I think you should leave," she said in a strong tone."Now that I am free of charges. There is no reason for you to stay here," she added.

"Ouch! You wound me" he said faking hurt by her hostility. "I am sure you have had worse." she replied crossing her arms on her chest.

"On the contrary, Baby Vamp, It's always the other way around."

"Then it must feel different to finally meet someone who won't take your shit just like that," she answered, plastering a fake smile on her face.

"You weren't that confident yesterday…huh…and to answer your question. Yeah! The change is rather refreshing," he replied.

"so what do you say?" he asked.

"I would love to say yes but that would only cause the slow death of my soul," she replied.

"Ugh! If only my mother taught me to take no for an answer," he said as he let out a cold sigh.

He was about to open his mouth to argue more but his phone rang. "Saved by the bell," he said as he picked his phone up.

"Damon, Tyler requested an emergency meeting. You have to come back right now" Bonnie said.

Elena noticed his playful attitude changed immediately. He was back to his old alpha male self. "I will be right back," he said as he hung up.

He turned back to her, a smile playing on his lips and his eyes softening when he looked at her. "I am going right now. But I will come back soon."

She rolled her eyes in disdain and opened the door for him, gesturing him to leave.

"See you…never," she said when he stepped out.

He smirked, shaking his head before he left.

..

..

Once Elena heard him race his car away. She zoomed back to living room. "That man is infuriating as hell" she seethed as she dropped on the couch. Jenna still was in shock. She snapped out once she heard Elena's voice.

"A Ripper? You brought a Ripper to my house," Jenna seethed.

Elena looked taken aback. "Uhh…Aunt Jenna."

"Don't you aunt Jenna me. Do you know what your family would do to you if they found out about this? Do you know what they would do to me? Klaus would take out my spleen and feed it to me if he found out I allowed a ripper into my house?" Jenna shouted.

"Jenna! Calm down."

"Don't make me angry and tell me to calm down. That's like stabbing someone and wondering why they're bleeding." Jenna shouted at her. "Oh God! How the fuck did that Ripper even get to you. He could have killed you if he ever found out that you're a Mikelson."

"He won't find out that I am Mikelson. I am never going to meet him ever again. This was first and the last time," Elena said.

"How did you even…"

"It was a mistake. I accidentally crossed the borders. He gave me a chance to explain my motives and now here I am," Elena added.

"This is Caroline's doing, Right?"

"Yup! She managed to run away though," Elena replied.

"I am going to have a talk with Klaus about this," Jenna seethed.

"No! Jenna! I…I don't want to get her in trouble. I am safe now. Besides, I am already tired of my family's overprotectiveness over me. I can't deal with more of their nonsense," Elena said sighing.

"They only want to keep you safe."

"I am okay now. I should head home before anyone finds out I am missing." Elena made a move to leave but Jenna blocked her. "No way, You're not going alone. I am calling Klaus to pick you up" Jenna said as she took out her phone from her jeans. "Jenna! Please…He will kill me if he found out about this"

"I am not telling him that the chief of the Rippers himself brought you back home but I am not allowing you to go all alone," Jenna said as she called Klaus.

Elena knew there was no way she could convince Jenna. She sighed. She was going to be in so much trouble.

..

..

It took thirty minutes for Klaus to reach Jenna's house. The doorbell rang repeatedly. Jenna gulped before she opened the door to him. "Where is she?" Klaus shouted in outrage.

"Nick!" Elena tried to smile.

"How many times did I tell you to never leave the town without my permission?" Klaus seethed.

"I…I just. I was bored." That was the best she could come up with. Funny, how only an hour ago, she was facing their biggest enemy, the chief of the Rippers himself and she wasn't that scared. Klaus snarled. "The Rippers were wandering around the boundary, last night. Do you have any idea what they could have done to you if they had gotten their hands on you?" Klaus shouted at her and she cowered.

"I am sorry," she uttered.

"I am really disappointed. I never thought you could be so irresponsible and I am going to have a talk with Becky too for lying to us," he raged.

"From now on, you're not allowed to leave town without my DIRECT permission. Are we clear?" he asked in a stern tone.

Elena nodded vigorously. "Good…Now let's go" Klaus said as he held her wrist and dragged her with him. "Thank you for calling Jenna." He said as he slammed the door behind them.

..

..

The whole ride back home had been very uncomfortable. "When was the last time you fed?" Klaus asked, his tone slightly soft now.

"Yesterday, Afternoon" she replied, she didn't dare to lie to him.

Klaus let out a cold frustrated sigh. He was clearly trying to control his anger and displeasure with her. He parked the car in the driveway of his house. He jumped out of his car. Elena mimicked him. The gateman smiled at Elena. Elena tried to smile back but failed miserably.

"CARE! Care…" Klaus shouted as he entered his house. Caroline zoomed to them. "Honey" she breathed, a gush of relief passed through her as she saw her friend. Elena glared at her. "so this was why you were upset yesterday. You knew Elena left the town. Didn't you?" Klaus asked.

"I…I…" Caroline stammered. "I am really disappointed in both of you," Klaus said in a disheartened way. "Anyway, Honey hasn't fed since yesterday bring her three blood bags," he ordered. Caroline nodded as she zoomed to the kitchen.

"Nick…I…"

"Come" he ordered her as he walked toward his study.

"Honey, I know that you're tired of us interfering in your life and I know I can be infuriating and annoying. But do you have any idea what I felt when Jenna called me and told me you were in Denver? All alone."

Elena bit her lower lip. "All I could think was things that could have possibly happened during that time you weren't safe and secure here with your family." He said. Caroline picked that time to enter. She poured blood into a mug and handed it to Elena.

"Drink…you have to finish all these," Klaus ordered.

"Don't do that to me again. Ever. " Klaus added.

"I promise, I won't."

..

..

"Honey, please. Talk to me. Honey, I was scared. I couldn't think straight." Caroline pleaded as she followed Elena to the roof. "Care! Just leave it" Elena said as she stood near the railing.

"I was going to inform Nick,"

"Going to, as in after they killed me," Elena said as she turned around.

"I couldn't think straight, Honey because this was all my fault and I thought that if I could manage to escape then so would you," she explained.

"I don't want talk to you, Care…Just leave it," Elena replied coldly as she turned around to leave. She couldn't even stand the sight of the girl she thought was her best friend until yesterday.

..

..

Elijah had called her again once she bought a new phone. He wanted to know how she was doing. Laying back on the bed she talked to him. He confirmed their date on Saturday. _See! Now, this was a decent guy._ She thought. _Unlike, that barbaric outrageously self-absorbed manwhore, Ripper. Stop thinking about him._ She ordered herself. Once she finished her conversation with him. She texted an apology to Jenna and Rebekah. Klaus had given a piece of his mind to Rebekah for covering up for her and now her older sister was mad at her as well. Even her father was disappointed and angry. Elena had never felt more humiliated in her life.

"Great more restrictions," she muttered as she pulled the covers over her body.

She thought about what she had been through since Yesterday. She was lucky she was even alive. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and let sleep take over her. Intense icy blue eyes were the last thing she remembered before she fell asleep.

..

..

Damon closed his eyes and tried to remember the exact symmetry of her features. He opened his eyes and starting sketching. This would be the first time; he would be sketching her complete face. She was very beautiful and so disarmingly unaware of that. He drew her eyes intently, his favorite part of her face. He was dangerously obsessed with her eyes. As he drew her gorgeous long eyelashes he couldn't help but think about his time with her.

She had been awfully rude to him today. She wasn't going to easily fall for his usual flirting. He would need to put serious effort this time. Just compliments and gifts won't work. And the way she talked back to him and fought his charm only riled him more. She was a challenge and he loved challenges. Just as he finished sketching the lines of her cheekbones he decided he wasn't going to stop until he was the one and only sole owner of her heart. It was about time she paid him back for putting him through two years of pure torture by showing up in his dreams.

..

..

Elena didn't know the first thing about art. Yet here she was trying to make sense as her mother's assistant explained a painting to her. Davina was way better than her in this department. But her mum wanted her to handle this branch of her art gallery chain. She knew why her mum wanted that.

Isobel wanted her to settle down here in Mystic Falls like Rebekah did. But, that wasn't going to happen. She knew she had to come up with a plan to convince Klaus to let her attend grad school.

"You look worried?" she asked, Davina.

"It's nothing," Davina smiled sweetly.

"Is something wrong? Did that dickfaced Kol say something again?" she asked.

Davina smiled slightly before she sat on the chair next to her. Kol and Davina were in a relationship. They have been together for a year. Davina had refused to perform the blood bond with him yet. She needed time. Elena supported her.

"He tried to bite me," she said under her breath.

"What?"

"I know that he can't control this. That is his inner beast screwing with his mind telling him to bite me and share blood with me."

"I never understand those things," Elena made a disgusted face.

"He is in love with me and I love him. My blood sings for him. This is his vampire instinct forcing him to claim me…and I know he is doing all he can to control this but I don't feel safe with him anymore," Davina explained.

"Whatever the reason he can't force you to share blood. He can't force you to become his mate," Elena said, disgusted.

"Actually he can and I know it wouldn't be his fault if he did," Davina said as she lowered her head.

"But you're not comfortable with this?" Elena asked.

"I love him…It's just… This is a huge step. Vampire mating is a commitment for life" Davina said rubbing her palms. "and you think you're not ready for this?" Elena asked.

"He says he can't control this much longer. He says his argument to make me his mate overpowers his sanity. So we decided to stay away from each other until I make a decision," Davina explained.

"Take your time…It's okay to be confused," she replied patting her. Her phone buzzed. She took out her phone from the pocket of her jeans.

 **"Jenna Calling"**

"Hey Jenna, What's up?" she said as she rose up from her chair.

"Honey…"

"Yeah…Mr. Salvatore is here" Jenna squeaked.

"What?" she nearly shouted.

"Hello Baby Vamp!" she heard a velvety voice on the other side of the line.

She raced to the washroom, turning on the taps so no one will hear her conversation over the sound of the water.

"What the hell are YOU doing in my house?" she hissed.

"I missed you so I came here to see you but your mum says you're out. Where are you?" he asked, genuinely worried.

"I…am…What the hell are you doing in my house?" she asked again.

"I told you I wanted to see you and I wanted to ask you where you wanted to go out on this Saturday." He chimed.

"I never agreed to that date" she replied. He groaned. "Wrong answer," he retorted. "I met your brother BTW that means by the way," he added. Elena stiffened. "He tried to stake me even when I told him repeatedly that I mean him no harm and I am just here to see you," Damon added. "Uhh…"

"However, Jeremy seriously needs to work on his defense techniques," he added and she exhaled in relief. "But don't worry I can take time out from my busy schedule and teach him my techniques. He will be staking _Originals_ once I am through with him," he added and Elena flinched.

"When will you be back?" he added when she didn't reply.

"I am busy. Stop annoying my family and just leave us alone" she spat in a tone laced with hatred. How dare he talk about her family like that?

"I am not going anywhere until you agree to meet me," he said.

"I'm busy," she said with a cold sigh. "I have your clothes at my house. I can use that and track you down by your scent. But, you will save me so much trouble if you agree to go on a date with me this Saturday" he asked again.

"No…"

"Jenna, I will be staying for dinner," he shouted. And Elena hissed. She didn't have any choice. Jenna saved her neck. She shouldn't risk them. Damon was a " _Ripper_ " after all. _Rippers_ were ruthless and cold. They were famous for being obsessive. When they wanted something they would obsess over it and wouldn't rest until they got it. She sighed. "Okay…I will go out with you but this is only going to be a onetime thing," she replied.

"We will see about that."

"Now…Leave my family alone," she ordered.

"See you on Saturday, Baby Vamp. Dress sexy for me," he replied, chuckling.

She gritted her teeth before hanging up on him.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" She heard a voice from behind her.

..

..

 _Thank you, Alta Beorn for your incredible beta skills. You've done a great job._

 _Please take a minute to review. I'll love to have your feedback._


	4. You and I are made for eachother

**Chapter 3: 'You and I are made for each other'**

* * *

Elena spun around. Caroline was looking at her, wide-eyed. "You're going on a date with a _RIPPER,_ " she almost choked. Elena hissed. "It's rude to eavesdrop," she said through her teeth. "You can't go out with A RIPPER. Your brother would kill you," Caroline added, panicked.

"It's your fault I am in this mess in the first place."

"Does the _Ripper_ know that you're a Mikelson," Caroline asked, clearly panicked.

Elena shook her head, looking away. Caroline gasped. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I came from Denver and that I accidentally crossed the border. He thinks Jenna is my mum and Jeremy is my brother since he was the one dropped me at home," Elena explained turning away, washing her face.

"Why the hell did you lie to him?" Caroline asked.

"It's not like I had much of a choice. They would have killed me in a heartbeat, had I told them I am a Mikelson," Elena said, running fingers through her hair.

"So the _Ripper_ doesn't know that you're an _Original_? You didn't manage to escape…" Caroline said more to herself than to Elena.

"Oooh! This is bad, why the hell would you agree to go on a date with him?"

"Because he was at Jenna's. I couldn't exactly drop it on him that Hey! Remember me, yes I am actually a Mikelson and I lied to you," Elena hissed as she wiped her face with a towel.

"Honey, Honey…Listen to me, You can't go out with him. If your brother finds out about this, all hell will break loose. He would rather stake himself than allow you to go out with a _Ripper,_ " Caroline tried to convince her.

"And do you really think I want to go out with HIM. Do you know the kind of self-absorbed cocky bastard he is? Not to mention that he is the chief of _Rippers,_ my brother's worst enemy. And I am perfectly aware of the consequences if my family ever found out about my little trip to Ripper's side of Mystic Falls," Elena said, clenching her fists.

"Okk…Calm down! Calm down! Call him back and cancel on him. Tell him you're out of the city. Tell him you're busy…tell him you died, anything, but don't go," Caroline pleaded. She knew her husband. She knew what Klaus was capable once someone crosses him. She had seen him rip heads off people who defied him. She had seen him at his worst.

"I am not doing anything of that sort. He will just bug me more. I just agreed to get him out of Jenna's house. I am NOT actually considering to go," Elena said as she looked in the mirror one last time.

"So, you're not going out with him?"

"No! I am just gonna ignore him. If I show him that I am not interested, I am sure he will forget about me and besides I am going out with Elijah that day," she completed as she made a move to leave.

"Oooh! That's interesting. You're really into him," Caroline smiled, relieved that Elena wasn't going to meet the _Ripper_.

It didn't matter if she was into him or not. Her family approved of him. He was the safe choice. The perfect choice. Elena didn't answer Caroline. "Honey, I am…I can't tell you how sorry I am for what I made you go through. I am a bitch and I know what I did to you was so wrong. I should have been there for you and…" she stopped when she heard Klaus.

"I don't want to talk about it. Let's just close that chapter and never talk about that ever again," Elena said. Of course, she couldn't forgive Caroline yet but she knew if she kept her cold behavior, Klaus would notice and then he would somehow find about her little adventure.

"Thank you! Thank you," Caroline nearly shrieked as she hugged her best friend.

"Why aren't you hugging me back?" she asked when she noticed Elena haven't hugged her back.

"You pinned my hands down," Elena replied.

"Ooh!" she said as she pulled away, beaming.

"Care, Love! We have to go to a meeting…Can you hurry up?" She heard Klaus from outside the washroom.

"Your brother won't even leave me alone in the washroom," Caroline almost growled.

"Care!" she could hear her brother call her.

"You should go," Elena said.

"Okay, will you be coming for dinner today?" she asked.

"CARE!" Klaus shouted, frustrated.

"All right…All right…I am coming," Caroline shouted back.

"I need to stay here at Gallery till mum comes back then I have to go see Kol. I will text you if I decide to drop by," Elena replied.

"You have to come…I have to show you my new dress. Nick ordered it from "Monique Lhuillier," I am gonna be wearing Monique Lhuillier in my wedding. I am so excited," Caroline squeaked and Elena smiled.

"If you're done bragging about your dress, can you please come out? We're already a fucking half hour late," Klaus shouted.

"Lose the tone, you thousand year old creep," Caroline shouted back.

Elena let out a chuckle when she heard Klaus curse under his breath.

"I swear to God if you don't come out now I am gonna break down this door and throw you on my shoulder and carry you to the meeting," Klaus shouted.

"Go," Elena whispered as she pushed Caroline slightly.

She zoomed toward the door then just when she opened the door, Elena heard a loud crack. She turned around and saw Klaus's hands on his nose. Klaus had been standing too close to the door and became the victim of Caroline's accident once again.

"I am so sorry, Baby," Caroline said, worried as she got closer to him. She stepped on his foot. Klaus winced in pain as her metal pencil heel dug into his skin. He pushed her away slightly. "I AM SO SORRY," Caroline apologized again.

"It's okay. Just give me a minute," Klaus said, holding his hand in front of him so Caroline would not come closer. His wife was walking destruction.

Once his healing was done. "Sometimes, I think you do it on purpose," Klaus said as he offered her his hand. Caroline pouted and held his hand.

Elena watched the happy couple leave.

Elena parked in front of her brother's house. Kol's house was grander then hers or Klaus's. Elena jumped out of the car and walked toward the main gate. Her phone vibrated again. She took out her phone as she opened the main door and entered.

" **Can't wait for tomorrow and in case you're wondering my favorite color is black-Unknown.** "

" **Who is this?-Elena** ," she texted back.

" **The love of your life-Unknown** ," The person texted back immediately.

Elena rolled her eyes. It was definitely Damon. He must have got her number from Jenna. She was going to tell him off but just then she heard a loud crash. She stuffed her phone into her jeans pocket and zoomed to the living room.

"Kol!"

"I can't take this anymore," her brother roared.

"What's going on?" she asked, worried.

"I can't control it anymore. Tell her to run away. Tell her to hide where I can't find her because if I do I won't be able to control this anymore," Kol shouted.

"Hey! Hey! Come here," Elena said as she reached out to him. Her relationship with Kol was very different from Klaus. Klaus was more of a father to her. Kol had been her best friend. He was the complete opposite of Klaus. He was rash and extremely pompous. He loved to show off. Unlike, Klaus he didn't always think of power. His time was better spent, traveling and enjoying his eternity. He was a womanizer by nature until he met Davina. She belonged to one of their allied clans.

She was his turning point. He had met her last year when she moved to Mystic Falls and started working for Isobel. Vampires don't fall in love. They are not designed to love but when they do it's permanent. Even love was a curse for them. Kol slowly found himself falling for the dark haired girl. Davina wasn't very comfortable with the Mating Blood bond. She wanted to wait. Kol had agreed since he never wanted to do anything she wasn't comfortable with. Her brother might be a dick but he never disrespected women. Especially the woman he was in love with.

His vampire nature wasn't too well mannered. His demon wanted to claim the woman he was in love with. Her blood tempted him. He wanted to drink her blood. He wanted to mark her as his. And not doing that tortured him. Fighting his demon urges pained him.

Elena noticed his eyes go red. He pushed her away. She flew toward the wall. Kol vamped out, snarling at her. "Ooh! Fuck," Elena cursed as he took a step toward her. There was no stopping him now. The demon was out. He couldn't be controlled. He wanted his mate and he wouldn't stop until he got her. "Why do I always get stuck with them when they are in their _I-want-my-mate phase?_ " She squeaked as she dashed to the other side of the room.

She took out her phone and called Rebekah. Her older sister was always the one she called whenever she was in trouble. "I am not talking to you," Rebekah said as soon as she picked up.

"Kol is on a rampage. I need help," she shouted as she dodged another attack from Kol.

"Son of…keep him busy. I am coming. Don't let him out of the house," Rebekah ordered.

"I will try," she said.

She noticed Kol sniffing. Like a bullet he dashed toward his room, opening the closet, he pulled out some of his girlfriend's dresses and inhaled her scent on them. Elena followed him. He snarled at Elena to keep her from coming closer.

"Really, Bro?" she said, as her eyebrows rose.

She had been through the exact same when Klaus went on a rampage. Caroline and Klaus had decided to perform the blood bond after Caroline's dream human wedding. She was in her apartment discussing wedding preparations with newly turned Caroline when Klaus broke in with Kol, Rebekah, and Michael, following him. They tried to fight him off until Caroline herself suggested that she could go through the blood bond before the wedding. Apparently, he couldn't hold on any longer and had snapped. Caroline, however, pissed she was, allowed him to perform the mating bond. Things couldn't always go the way she wanted.

The situation with Davina was different since she wasn't willing to perform the bond. Not that Elena blamed her. Who would want someone prying into your mind and having access to your emotions, no matter how loving or amazingly understanding your mate is.

"Get a hold of yourself," she ordered her brother. He shook his head and attacked her but she dashed away at the last second.

"KOL," she warned him holding a table in front of him. "Stay back or I will have to hurt you," she warned.

Kol face went back to normal. "Honey? What are you doing here?" he asked, perplexed. "When did you come?" he asked. "And why are you holding my table?" he added.

"I…Oh! Thank God! You're back," She sighed in relief as she threw the table back.

"Hey! That was antique. I stole it from the king of Egypt back in the middle ages," Kol shouted in rage and then he stilled as he noticed the clothes in his hand. "Ohh…No…Don't," she tried to warn him but Kol's face scrunched up in pain and then his eyes reddened again. He vamped out. Elena dashed away from him and locked the room behind him. She could hear him growl. She knew the door wasn't going to last long. "BECKY! Hurry up," she shouted. Where were her siblings when she needed them most?

Her phone started buzzing when she tried to hold the door so Kol wouldn't open it. She sneaked her other hand into her jeans pocket and pulled out her phone. She answered, without looking who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hey," A velvety voice greeted.

"Who is this?"

"Your knight in shining armor."

"Damon?" she whispered as she tried to keep the door from opening. She could hear Kol growling as he attempted to pull the door open.

"The one and only," he replied, smugly.

"This is not a good time," she said, harshly.

"I know. With us being so far from each other. But, tomorrow I will definitely give you a good time," he replied.

"Why did you call?" she asked, holding the door tightly while her brother struggled to open it.

"I just wanted to ask, have you ever been fishing before?" he asked.

"No…why?"

"Because I think we should hook up…Get it?" he replied, chuckling.

"You're pathetic," she replied, hissing. She was about to hang up when-

"Okay. Okay. Don't hang up! You weren't replying to messages. I just wanted to check if you were okay," he said genuinely worried.

"I gotta go…" she replied.

"Is everything okay? I am hearing weird voices. Where are you?" he demanded.

"Everything is fine. I am okay. Stop annoying me," she replied as she hung up. As soon as she stuffed the phone back in her back pocket, she heard a loud crack. "It's okay. I snapped his neck," She heard Rebekah's voice. Elena let go of the door's handle. Rebekah opened the door. Kol was lying on the ground.

"I called Nick. He is on his way," Rebekah said as she picked Kol up and carried him to the basement.

"Let's lock him up in the basement until the Smiths give us the green signal," she added as she threw him the cellar and locked the door behind.

"What green signal?"

"They will be hiding Davina," she managed to say. She knew Rebekah didn't like it. But Kol had made all of them promise to help Davina escape once he couldn't control himself.

"When do you think will Davina be ready?" Elena asked her.

"I don't know but I hope it's soon," Rebekah replied.

"I managed to sneak up on him from the window. I could hear his growls. You were talking to someone?" Rebekah asked.

"Oh…Umm…Just a friend back from college," Elena lied.

Rebekah took out her cell and texted her mate. "You're lucky I didn't go with Marcel to Georgia today…"

Elena smiled, nodding.

"It's him…wait here," Rebekah said beaming as she picked up the call.

Klaus and Caroline were there within minutes after Rebekah arrived. "We have good news. Davina agreed to perform the bond. She and the Smiths are on their way back to town as we speak," Klaus said as he came back to the living room where his two sisters and wife was sitting.

"Oooh! That's great news, Love," Caroline replied, beaming.

"All thanks to this beautiful lady over here who managed to convince her that the Blood bond isn't that bad," Klaus said holding his wife's hand and pulling her close to him.

Caroline had called Davina and explained the bond to her. She had told Davina that it wasn't that difficult to be in a blood bond. Davina took her word for it because Caroline was freshly experiencing the blood bond.

"Great! Bimbo saves the day," Rebekah muttered sipping blood from her glass.

Elena nudged Rebekah. "Not now," she whispered.

Caroline glared at Rebekah but Klaus held her hand. "It's not worth it," he almost pleaded. Caroline pulled away her hand but nodded.

The door busted open and Elijah Smith entered with Davina following him.

"Good Evening," he greeted everyone. "Where is he?" Davina asked, concerned.

"Down in the cellar," Rebekah replied, instantly. "Thank you so much for doing this, Davina," she added.

"Didn't say that to me when I did it…Bitch," Caroline muttered under her breath.

"What?" Rebekah snapped at her.

"You heard me," Caroline replied.

"Oh, I heard you. I just don't care," Rebekah replied.

"Girls! Enough," Klaus barked. "We have an important issue to deal with right now," Klaus added.

"She started it," Rebekah pointed out.

"I don't care who started it but you're gonna end it NOW," Klaus roared. Rebekah nodded and looked away while Caroline smirked smugly.

"Let's go," he ordered.

"They have been in there for an hour now," Rebekah muttered.

"It's going to take awhile for him to calm down," Klaus replied.

"I'm gonna head home now," Elena muttered as she got up.

Klaus nodded. "Let me drop you at home."

"You should stay here and keep an eye on things. How about I drop Honey home?" Elijah interfered.

Klaus narrowed his eyes but then nodded. He was okay with Elijah. As long as Elijah stuck to the plan. "But I came here in my car," Elena reminded them.

"I will have someone drop it off," Klaus added.

Elena shook her head. Her brother must really like this guy if he was allowing him to drop her off. And why wouldn't he? Elijah was perfect. He was smart. He was strong and he worshipped the ground her brother walked on. He belonged to a strong clan. Alliance with strong families was always beneficial. Rebekah winked at her as she made a move to leave.

Elena was excited about her date today. She and Elijah had an interesting conversation on their way back home. He had told her that he planned to take her to a very famous and expensive restaurant in the town a little farther from Mystic Falls.

Damon had also called her today. She didn't bother to pick up. She was firm on her plan of ignoring him. He didn't quite give up. He sent her a text telling her to show up at a restaurant near the clock tower of Ripper's side of Mystic Falls. She laughed at the idea of going out with a Ripper and not just any Ripper, the chief of Rippers and that too on the Ripper's side of Mystic Falls. If her brother ever found out about this he would probably have a stroke.

And it wasn't like he was serious. He just wanted to play with her. She wasn't something to play with. She refused to be anyone's plaything. With Elijah, she had a future. He promised to help her get out of Mystic Falls. He even promised to talk to Klaus regarding her grad school.

She styled her hair so now it was flowing straight down her waist like a waterfall. Finishing last touches on her makeup, She extended the end of a light, red gloss and glided it over her lips, when her bell rang. "Wait up," she shouted as she zoomed to the door. She opened the door.

There he stood, Elijah Smith in all his glory. He was wearing his formal suit. She would have thought it was weird but she had never seen him wear anything other than suits. He was holding a bouquet of roses. His eyes scanned her appreciatively. "Hey," she greeted him.

"You look…amazing," he gasped and she laughed. "Please come in…Give me five minutes," she said as she walked back to the dresser of her room, with him hot on her heels.

"My room is a mess…" she said, embarrassed.

"It's okay…" he replied.

She stood in front of the dresser as she puckered her lips and applied lip gloss. He looked in a dazed state.

She had chosen to wear a red dress with a lovely sweetheart neckline, thin waistline and the skirt flared out from the hips and fell to just below the knees, showing her long tan legs. The skirt would twirl every time she turned, she paired her dress up with red wedges.

She turned around beaming at him.

"I don't think I will ever get tired of this sight," he breathed and she chuckled.

"You are absolute, amazingly gorgeous," He added.

"Stop with the compliments," Elena said, smiling and looking away.

"Shall we go?"

"Let's go."

She stood him up. Elena Gilbert stood him up, the chief of Rippers, Damon Salvatore. It's been an hour. His first hint should have been her no response to his texts. His second hint should have been the fact that her mum said she wasn't home so he shouldn't come and pick her up. But, like a complete idiot, he still hoped she would show up. After all, she did agree. Then again, he practically forced her to go out with him.

But in no way was he giving up. She used to come in his dreams for two years. Surely, that meant something. Bonnie said those were visions not dreams. They had some connection. They had a spark no matter how much she fought it. They had something.

She had so much fire in her. He liked that. He was used to getting everything so easy. Getting her attention was difficult and challenging. He would need to bring his A-game. She was genuine. She wasn't fake like the women he had been with before. He liked her for that.

This was fate. She was sent by fate to him. But right now, he was getting over his embarrassment of getting stood up. Because this was his first time. After sending a rather threatening voicemail to her that this wasn't the end of them and he would be showing up at her house tomorrow for a rearrangement of their date if she didn't want any serious trouble, he made his way to his favorite bar that was in the town Murkwell, a town a little further from Mystic Falls.

The dim lights of the bar welcomed him. He thought about finding a snack after he tried drinking himself into a stupor. Not that it would affect him. He was a vampire after all. It took a lot for a vampire to get drunk.

He sat next to a blonde who started flirting with him immediately. She was attractive. But she was easy. It wasn't the same. She wasn't snarky and she didn't roll her eyes every three seconds. She didn't tuck her hair back in frustration every other second. She didn't make him go blank with her smartass comebacks. She was dumb as a rock. She couldn't handle a man like him. That's when he saw a girl in a red dress. "You've got to be kidding me," he nearly growled.

"I don't like to dance, Honey," he heard the man near her say in embarrassment. "To be honest, I don't even know how to dance," he added.

The man was calling her "Honey". He gritted his teeth. But her mum said that she was single. "And I love to dance. However, will this work?" Elena said dramatically and Damon herd the man chuckle.

"It's only a first date…We still have a long way to go," the guy answered.

Damon couldn't exactly see the man. His back was to him. He was wearing a suit. Who wears a suit to a first date? And he didn't know how to dance? Was he from the time of dinosaurs or something?

" She stood ME up for THAT," he spat. Now, he felt even more insulted.

"What?" the girl asked.

"Nothing," he snapped at her as he slammed his glass on the counter.

"I will go get us some drinks" he heard her date say to Elena. She nodded. Once, the guy was out of sight. She sat on a stool with a cold sigh. She sat with one leg cross over the other giving him a good view of her beautiful sun-kissed tan legs. She seemed so down.

"Hello Miss Who stood me up!" he greeted in her ear, standing behind her. She flinched, turning to face him.

"Damon?"

"Oh! You remember me. Then you must also remember that you were supposed to meet me three hours ago at the Mystic Grill," he hissed. "And now you're ignoring me," he said when she looked away as if he didn't exist.

"At least have the decency to apologize. You can't keep ignoring me like this," he added.

"Of course I can, I will ignore you so hard you will start to doubt your own existence," She replied, plastering a fake smile on her face.

"What's so good in that guy? What does he have that I don't? I mean he is wearing a suit and he is still looking like a potato," he commented and Elena had tried to bite her lip to stifle a chuckle but failed.

"Seriously…why him?" he tried to keep his tone light but a little bit of hurt and sadness seeped into his tone. The blues in his eyes mesmerized her. For a second, she couldn't find the ability to look away. The loud beat of the music snapped her out of her daze.

"That's my business. And my business isn't your business. Unless you're my thong, don't be up my ass," she replied rather harshly.

He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Now! Will you leave me alone?"

"Not a chance…I would like to meet Mr. Potato who doesn't even know how to dance" he said sitting next to her.

"You're being a jerk," she hissed.

"Thanks for noticing," he retorted.

"You're an asshole," she hissed again.

"It takes one to know one," he replied, smirking and he heard her gasp.

"Fuck you," she seethed.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me," he replied.

"That's it I am leaving," she said as she got up.

"For how long?" he asked, amused.

"Forever," she replied.

"Wait! Let me get my bags too," he added and she snarled. She was fuming now. He chuckled, seeing her flushed face and heaving chest.

"Okay! Okay…Truce…Let's just have a civil talk," he said holding her wrist. She yanked her wrist away and made her way out of the bar. She could hear him calling after her as she sped up but still not using her vampire speed. She knew Elijah would be looking for her but at this point, she just needed to get away from him. She found herself on the backside of the bar. It was an empty alley. If she wasn't a vampire she would have never taken this way out.

"Leave me alone,"

"Not a chance," he replied.

Great. It was raining. She looked up at the dark sky. The light droplets fell on her hair. He zoomed in front of her before she could escape.

"I will forgive you for not showing up if you kiss me," he bargained.

She looked at him as if he was crazy. Her nostrils flared in anger. "Kiss my ass," she spat.

"That's even better…I must warn you my ass eating game is mind-blowing," he replied, smirking.

That did it. She clenched her knuckles. She had to remind herself that the disgusting vile man in front of her was actually a century and half old vampire who could snap her neck faster than a click of his fingers and in no way would hitting him be appropriate.

"You're disgusting," she growled.

"I know," he replied, grinning.

"Honestly, I am gonna pretend like you don't even exist," she said shaking her head at his crudeness.

"So…What about that kiss?" he asked nudging her and she gritted her teeth.

"I am not gonna kiss you, like ever," she said.

"That must mean you're a bad kisser. Well, let me tell you what I'm going to do. I'll give you one practice hot French kiss, but if you can't learn it after two tries, then you're out. I'm sorry Baby Vamp but a guy's gotta have his standards. Okay?" he asked and he heard a growl.

"You think you are God's gift to women, right?"

"Of course not…I am God's gift to the entire human race…oops…vampire race…Whatever," he retorted.

"What do you want from me? Why are you annoying me so much? What did I do to you?" she asked in a desperate rage.

"What did you do to me? You're ruining me. I can't stop thinking about you. You have been on my mind the minute I left you at your house. I…I wanna talk to you. I wanna spend time with you. I wanna know you and that never happened to me before. And it doesn't help that you keep pushing me away. Because you fighting me back turns me on even more," He shouted. He was glad that there was no one around.

She looked puzzled then she smirked. "Nice try…Let me tell you something. This line may have worked on all your other conquests but it's not going to work on me. I know what guys like you really want. You better give up because I refuse to be a plaything for anyone…Least of all you," she retorted.

He clenched his jaw. She wasn't going to give up easily. It would take more than screaming confessions to get her.

"It's not real…whatever you say isn't real," she muttered more to herself then him. With a determined look, he made a grab for both of her wrists. She looked up at him, alarmed. Using his vampire speed, he pushed her against the brick wall of the bar. Her wrists pinned against the wall. "Wha…What are you doing? Let go of me" she whispered. It sounded more like a plea. His eyes darted to hers.

She noticed his eyes darken. His lips drawing close to hers. Her eyes danced from his lips to his eyes.

"One more word and I will kiss you," he warned.

"You…" her words died in her mouth when his lips pressed against hers. He kissed her firmly, begging her silently to open for him. She felt a current through her body. She didn't know what took over her. She just knew that she had to kiss him back. Her lips moved in sync with his with as much fervor. He chose the moment to deepen the kiss. He pressed himself against her, his body molding perfectly with hers.

She was perfect. She was sunshine, rain, life, and home. Every thought escaped his mind when he heard her moan. He kissed her eagerly, wanting to hear more of her moans. He let go of her hands sure now that she wouldn't escape. She wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him closer, kissing him fiercely.

For Elena, it just felt right. This was what felt missing all along. She felt his hands slid down her back to her hips, pushing her closer to him. He couldn't seem to get enough. He pressed her tightly against him as his lips traveled from her lips to her cheeks to assaulting her neck.

 _This is heaven._ He thought. _She was heaven_. She sure felt like it. He thought as his lips traveled back to her lips, reclaiming them. He purred when he felt her fingers running through his hair.

"You're amazing… You're heaven. You're perfect. Every part of you…"he said against her mouth as he bit her lower lip. She moaned as she kissed him back eagerly. His ears picked up a sound of someone rushing to the back door. He didn't bother to pull back and instead dove in for another kiss as he pressed himself against her more firmly.

The door opened with a loud bang and Elena heard a sharp intake of breath. That's when she snapped out of her daze. She tore away her lips from his even though he hissed in disapproval and nipped to recapture her lips but she moved away at the last second. She pushed him off her slightly as she looked at the person who just came out of the bar.

She gulped audibly as she saw Elijah standing there, shocked. "Hey there…" Damon greeted him. "Do you mind?" he practically seethed, annoyed by the interruption. Apparently, he didn't know who Elijah was.

"Let's go, Elena," Elijah said almost seething.

"Oooh…that's Mr. Potato," he said, biting his lower lip in childish glee as if he just got caught stealing a cookie.

She pushed him off her and he chuckled.

"Call me, Elena," he said, playfully looking at Elijah who looked like someone just robbed him and in a way, he did. But he didn't feel even a bit guilty. The guy stole his date. He deserved it. He felt a bit upset that she was going back to him. "Or at least pick up my calls," Damon added.

She looked back at him as if he was something repulsive. He waved at her playfully. "And I want another date but this time, do show up," he shouted even though he knew she could hear it fine if he even whispered. She was a vampire after all.

The guy in the back, however, didn't appreciate his propositions. He rushed to Elena and held her hand. "Let's go," he said before he dragged her with him. He watched as she left with her "date". Didn't matter though. He doubted her date would ever want to take her out again. However, it still stung that she didn't look back even once.

Elena thanked God that Elijah didn't know who Damon was and nor did Damon knew who Elijah was. She had been shaking in fear the whole time. Elijah was older and stronger than Damon and Damon was all alone. She would have been safe but it wasn't her safety she was thinking about. She hated to admit it but she didn't want Elijah to hurt him either.

Elijah had been silent the whole way as he raced the car back to Mystic Falls. She hit her head with the palm of her hand as she looked out the window. What kind of a woman would make out with her family's biggest enemy when she was on a date with her family's biggest ally? She had hurt him. This was so wrong.

"Elijah…I…"

"Not now, Elena" he managed to choke out.

"Look…I…" she stammered.

"Who was he?"

"Someone who doesn't matter," Elena replied.

"Then why was he eating your face?" he said seething with anger and jealousy.

"It was the heat of the moment. I know that I am the worst person in the world. I shouldn't have done that. I was actually trying to get away from him…I don't know what came over me…I am really sorry Elijah," she said biting her lower lip.

"Who was he?"

"A…A guy back from college," she lied through her teeth.

"Do you like him?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"NO…" she replied immediately.

"Okay…" he said, biting his lower lip.

"Elijah, It didn't mean anything. I hate that guy," she said.

"You have a funny way of showing it," he mumbled in his mouth.

"I am sorry, Elijah. I know that what I did was unforgivable. I will understand if you never wanna see me again," she said as the car stopped.

"Look, Elena. I am not gonna lie and say that I am okay with what you did. You were on a date with ME and I go for five minutes and after that I find you in the back alley with a guy practically eating your face. I LIKE you a lot. And this doesn't sit well with me," he continued.

"But…I will get over it soon. I just need some time," he added.

"I understand," Elena nodded.

"Let me drop you at your door," he added as he zoomed to the other side of the car and opened the door for her. She jumped out of the car. "I am sorry," she whispered once again when they reached the door.

He pressed his lips and tried to smile. He bent and kissed her forehead. "I will see you soon, take care," he whispered before spinning around and leaving.

As if on cue, her phone buzzed. It was him. The devil himself. This man was going to be the death of her.

"You shouldn't have kissed me?" she growled as soon as she picked up.

"Well! If you weren't such a ravishing Goddess, I'd be able to control myself better," Damon replied in a husky tone.

She felt as if her dead heart skipped a beat.

"Elena, I need to tell you something," he whispered, sounding nervous.

"What?" she barked.

"It was real. Everything I said was real," she heard him sigh.

"Damon, Listen to me once and for all. You and I, can't happen. We are a mistake. We are disastrous. We are catastrophic, We are…"

"Made for each other…" he completed, chuckling.

She groaned in frustration.

"Tell me you didn't feel it when we were kissing?" he added, a bit later.

"Feel what?"

"There is something going on between us and you know it," he said, determined.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said shaking her head as she kicked off her heels.

"Not admitting feelings for me. So cliché…" he mocked.

"I am not admitting any feelings because there aren't any feelings" she replied, as she went to the washroom.

There was a long pause at the other end of the line. She almost thought that he hung up on her.

"But I do. I have feelings for you. I don't know what they are but all I know is that I want to be around you. I have never felt like this before. You make me go jello in the legs. You make me happy. A lot. You make me feel alive. You're smart and unique and I am not gonna hide that I am attracted to you. I am serious about this. About us. Give me a chance?" he said in a serious and genuine tone.

"How can you have feelings for me? You barely know me?" Elena replied, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Then let me know you. Let's go out tomorrow. I promise I will be on my best behavior," he added, almost pleading.

She bit her lower lip. She would never admit it but she wanted to say yes. But she couldn't. They were enemies. He didn't know that and she did. It was wrong to lead him on when there was no future.

"Elena?" he said.

"How many girls fell for that?" she said sweetly, putting venom in her voice.

She heard him snarl. "Really? Elena, I just poured my heart out to you," he said, frustrated by her behavior.

"I don't buy it…I know what guys like you are capable of," she replied huffing. She heard him take a deep breath.

"I am asking you one last time. Go out with me," he asked.

"I no longer do things that make me want to kill myself," She replied, smugly.

"Is that a no?" he asked.

"Do I have to spell it out for you," she replied, enjoying his irritation.

"Okay…" he replied taking a deep breath.

"Does that mean you will leave me alone now?" she asked, excited.

She heard him chuckle, darkly.

"No…that means no more Mr. Nice Guy. That means you are gonna meet the real Damon Salvatore now…you better remember that name because you are gonna be shouting that name pretty soon," he replied in a dark yet playful tone.

"HA... In your dreams"

"Baby Vamp! You messed with the wrong vampire. I am gonna make sure you know who you belong to. Elena Gilbert, you're mine now," She heard him whisper. Chills ran down her spine. Something wasn't right.

"Whatever," she replied. "You know I would love to stay and chat but I have better things to do," she added.

"Do you know that your brother Jeremy sucks at baseball?" he said before she could hang up.

"What?" she said, alert now.

"Show up tomorrow at six near the café close to your house or your brother and your mum become my guests. Then you will have to show up at my house to take them back."

"What kind of sick jerk are you?" she growled.

"The kind of who is crazy about you," he replied, chuckling.

"Damon, you wouldn't dare!"

"Try me," he replied.

"Not one minute late, Elena," he warned.

"Damon…you can't do this."

"Baby Vamp, you have no idea what I am capable of," he replied darkly.

"BTW…do you know that red is my new favorite color. You looked stunning, today. However, I want you to wear black for me. Something lacy…" she heard him continue.

"Damon…I can't come tomorrow," she said desperately.

"I am sure you will figure a way out."

"Damon…please."

"You will be saying that a lot from tomorrow onwards," he replied.

"I fucking hate you," she finally snapped.

"You hate me…sounds like the beginning of a love story. Not the end," he replied.

For a moment Elena was speechless.

"That's it. I have had enough of your shit for a day. I hope you die a slow and painful death. Goodnight," she hissed as she hung up.

"This man is infuriating as hell," she shouted to no one. She changed into her PJs and dropped on her bed. Her phone buzzed again.

" **Goodnight, Baby Vamp-Fuckhead**."

Fuckhead was the name she had assigned to Damon's contact number. She groaned and threw her phone away.

She would never admit it but she was attracted to him. He didn't treat her like a porcelain doll like everyone in her brother's clan did. He pushed her to her limits. He was right. There was a spark between them. And she would never in a million years admit it but the man was attractive as hell.

Her fingers lingered on her lips. She groaned in frustration. How could their argument turn into a makeout session? He was enemy. He wanted her brother dead. How could she backstab her brother like that? And now she had to trick her family again tomorrow to meet him. And she had no idea how would she manage to do that. Brushing her thoughts away, she closed her eyes and let sleep take over her.

"Wow!" Bonnie complemented his latest sketch of the doe-eyed vampire.

"She was wearing red, yesterday. She looked mesmerizing," he added as he drew the outline of her dress.

"So, how was your date?" Bonnie asked.

"I got stood up," he replied and could hear everyone in the room chuckle. "Yet, I managed to make out with her…" he added.

He could hear everyone curse.

"Yeah…that's right. I am the alpha male here," he said, proudly.

"Anyway, What happened to the guy that attacked Mason?" he asked.

"We still couldn't track him…" Stefan replied.

"Can't Bonnie do some locator spell or something?" he asked.

"I would need his essence for that," Bonnie replied.

"I think he is teaming up with that sick mixed breed asshole Klaus against us," Enzo commented.

"Did Alaric confirm that?" Damon asked.

"No…that's just what I think," Enzo replied.

"Call Rick and tell him to look into this matter. And tighten the security of the wolf clan," he said as he finished his sketch. "Nice," Stefan commented over his shoulder.

"What time is it?"

"About five thirty," Bonnie said.

"Excuse me, Ladies and Gentlemen! I need to go…I have a date," he said as he got up, admiring his sketch.

"Why bother? If she didn't show up yesterday, she won't show up today either," Enzo called after him.

"Ohh! She will show up. I made sure of that," he said, smirking.

"Why are you bothering her, Damon? She clearly doesn't like you," Stefan said, irritated.

"That's exactly why I like her," he replied before he zoomed to his room.

Caroline stood still, shell-shocked after Elena filled her in about events that happened last night. "Now he demands that I go out with him or he will kidnap Jenna and Jeremy," Elena completed.

"He is just saying that. I am sure he won't do that," Caroline said, shaking her head.

"I am not risking it. It's my fault they are in trouble. I took him to their house," Elena said, pushing her hair back. "And it's not like I am giving that infuriating dick any mixed signals. I told him over and over again that I am not interested," Elena said as she was pacing around the room.

"I don't know, kissing him in the back alley of bar seems kinda like you are interested"

"It was a mistake. I slipped. Anyone would. He has got those…those fuck me eyes," Elena said, irritated."I lost control."

"This is your fault," Elena snapped at Caroline. "If he finds out about me I am screwed and if Nick finds out about my visit to their side of Mystic Falls, I am screwed," Caroline said.

"I am screwed either way," Elena added. "You have to help me. I just have half an hour."

"What can I do?" Caroline said, desperately.

"I am going to meet him. You will have to cover for me. Make sure no one finds out I left," Elena said as she rushed to her closet. She picked up a sleeveless black tank top.

"You're seriously not considering going out with him," Caroline said, horrified.

"I don't have a choice," she muttered as she zoomed to the washroom. She started to change.

"What…I…Nick will kill you," Caroline managed to choke out.

"He won't even know since you will be keeping him busy. I will be back by ten. Hopefully, I will manage to convince that…that _Ripper_ that I am not interested in him," she said as she pulled on her skinny jeans. In no way was she giving Damon the satisfaction that she bothered to get ready for him.

"No…NO FUCKING WAY…I am so not going to help you. Nick will murder me if he ever finds out that I allowed you to go out with a _Ripper_ …No…No way," she said in a determined tone.

"Listen to me, Caroline. It's your fault I am in this mess in the first place. If you don't do what I say then Damon will find out that I am from _Original_ clan. They hate us. He will surely start a war with my brother. And every vampire clan will support him since it was us who broke the treaty. He shouldn't find out and neither should Nick," Elena snarled. "I am just fixing the mess that you made," she added.

"Honey…Don't make me do this," Caroline looked like she was about to cry.

"I don't have a choice," she said as she started doing her makeup.

"How am I supposed to keep him busy?"

"You will figure it out," she replied as she took out her car keys.

Fifteen minutes late. Damon still decided to wait. She had to show up. She couldn't just leave him hanging over here. He ordered another drink as he waited. Five more minutes passed. He called her again. She didn't pick up. "Got stood up again," he whispered to himself, almost chuckling. He had no idea why she didn't like him. He was hoping to change her views on him today. He wanted to show her that he was serious about this. About them.

Just when he was about to send her a text again, he noticed her rush out of her car. Pushing her silky straight hair back, she pulled open the glass door and entered.

A smile crept across his face as soon as he spotted her. She came. He mentally cheered. She was here.

Her eyes scanned for him frantically and sighed in relief as soon as she spotted him. He waved at her and he noticed her eyes roll. She walked like a graceful queen toward him. Her glossy long silky hair swishing as she took each step.

He couldn't help but feel disappointed that she didn't get ready for him like she did for her date yesterday. She was wearing a black sleeveless top and skinny jeans. She owned the look though. He feels his dead heart race as she stepped closer to him.

He never felt so nervous. This was his one chance to get in her good books. Brushing a strand of her hair from her face, she pretended to look away and ignore his intense gaze as she approached him. He felt weak in the knees. He was a mess. He was sure she didn't even know the deep effect she had on him. How could a five-year-old vampire make him nervous and vulnerable? And It wasn't like he lacked any confidence he knew he was a charismatic person but he just never felt this way about any girl and honestly, it was scary how he just flat out melted whenever he saw her. It was like his brain turned into mushy heaven when she was around.

And her eyes. God! Her eyes were breathtaking. He was obsessed with them. The way they held all raw emotions. Honest raw emotions. And her lips were so soft. Kissing them gave him sensations that were so delicious, so foreign, he simply savored them. He had replayed their make-out moments in his mind over and over again since yesterday. She made him feel so human. He snapped out of his thoughts when she coughed loudly.

She stood in front of him.

"Ohh…sorry," he said as he got up and pulled out the chair for her. She sat on the chair with grace and indifference to him. This was it. His one chance to blow her mind. He was going to make sure she had the best time of her life.

* * *

 _**Chapter Beta'd by Alta Beron_

 _Thank you, Alta, for your amazing beta skills._

Please do review as it will make my day! If you're a rereader don't forget to drop in your comments again!

 **Review!**


	5. A date with the enemy

**Chapter 4: 'A date with the enemy'**

* * *

"Let's just get this over with," she said loudly.

He let out a chuckle but pretended to get hurt by her indifference "Ouch, can you at least pretend to be more enthusiastic?"

"Why should I pretend when we both know that I don't like you at all," she replied, plastering a fake smile on her face. He smirked, looking down. This is going to take forever but he was already enjoying his time with her. Being in her presence took all the cold inside and brought light and warmth to him. When did he turn into such a romantic?

Elena pressed her sweaty palms. She was here to tell him off. She wanted to shout at him for forcing her to go out with him but something stopped her. The moment she laid her eyes on him she couldn't help but feel jello in her legs. _Why did he have to be so attractive?_ She thought.

His raven hair styled roughly falling almost on his ocean blue gazing eyes. Her eyes unintentionally wandered up to his strong arm disappearing into a sleeve of a black dress shirt. His sleeves were rolled up so she could see the veins of his muscles. This man would be the death of her. She thought. _No…Elena. He is off limits. He is Nick's enemy. He is your enemy and it's wrong to lead him on when there is no future no matter how hot he is…wait! Did I just call him hot?_ She looked away from him before he could catch her. She pretended to look at anything but him. She had to show indifference. She had to show that she didn't want him. This couldn't continue.

"You looked beautiful yesterday but …" he said in a serious tone, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I love your look more today, informal suits you, but your clothes would look so much better on my bedroom floor." he added with a slight smirk, riling her up. Her face flushed. He loved it. He loved making her nervous. He loved the effect he had on her.

"And it would look fabulous jammed into your windpipe." She replied, seething. He let out a chuckle. She had an answer to everything. She wasn't so typical as to fall for his pickup lines.

"See…that's why I like you so much. You keep fighting me. It turns me on. We have so much sexual tension between us. I bet our first time would be mind-blowing," he replied, biting his lower lip as his eyes traveled her face. He loved her reactions to his crude comments. She was so innocent. He usually had women flirting back with him within seconds. Elena, however, was a pro at hard to get.

"Sleeping with you? Huh. I am not that desperate and you are not that lucky." She replied as she rolled her eyes.

"There won't be much of sleeping going on," he said as he winked.

"Anyway, what would you like to have?" he added quickly, picking up the menu.

"A stake to kill you," Elena replied as she tilted her head with a smile on her face.

"Wouldn't matter, Baby Vamp. I will come back from the dead to be with you," he replied with a smirk. Elena's smile disappeared. Nothing seemed to ruin his muse.

"So, what would you actually like to have?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and picked up the menu. Playing with her soft strands she flipped a page. "Are you ready to order?" Their server asked.

"Hmm…I would like to have Flautas de fajitas and a coke." She ordered smiling at him, kindly.

"Whatever she ordered," he said not sparing the guy any glance.

"And please make separate bills," she added.

"Of course not. Dinner is on me." he interrupted, frowning.

"No!" she flat out refused.

"YES, Elena…It's a date. Men pay on a dates."

"Just a stereotype. I always pay my share," she said ignoring him.

"Well! I am old school and I would like to pay on our first date…No separate bills. Now scram," he said, rudely to the server.

"Do you always have to make a scene?" she hissed.

"Do you always act like Regina George ?" he hissed back.

Her eyes widened and a smirk appeared on her face. "You watched Mean girls," she said, amused.

He looked taken aback for a second. "Just to know the rules of Girls world," he said looking away as if admitting to a crime. "I was bit shocked when Regina pretended she loved that girl's skirt when she hated it. Girls really do that?" he asked, a second later.

Elena's eyes opened wide as saucers. She flickered her long eyelashes uncontrollably in disbelief before she dissolves into a puddle of laughter. A smile crept on his face as he leaned closer over the table.

"Yes…Yes…They do," she said in between giggles. He enjoyed her giggles that filled the air with beautiful sounds.

"The yellow bus in the end. Did not see that one coming!" he added and she laughed louder.

"That was my favorite scene," she admitted.

"So, were you one of the mean girls or one of the nerds in your high school days?" he asked, eager to know more about her.

"Definitely, A mean girl. I was a cheerleader. I wasn't very rude like "The Plastics" but since everyone was so scared of my brothers, no one dared to mess with me," she replied, totally forgetting that she was supposed to ignore him and kill his attraction for her.

"Brothers? I thought you only had one brother?" he asked, suspiciously and Elena nearly choked on her wine.

"Ummm…A…cousin brother" she stammered taking another sip and cursing herself for letting her guard down. How can she forget that she was on a date with her family's enemy?

"Oh…Where does he live?" he asked, interested.

"Georgia." she lied looking away.

"Your mum said that you attended college at Whitmore, What was your major?" he asked to keep the conversation going. Also, he genuinely wanted to know about her. And he was glad she was finally opening up to him.

"What is this? Twenty questions?" she said scoffing.

"I am just trying to get to know you," he said, confused by her sudden coldness.

"Don't bother. We won't be meeting again after this, anyway." she replied, sighing.

He frowned a bit. "Why are you being so difficult? Elena. "

"Because I don't like you," she replied bluntly.

His eyes flared in anger. "You know what? This stubborn act is really annoying me now."

"I am not stubborn. I am just showing my displeasure of being in your company and the complete wastage of my time this is going to be," she replied, smirking.

His frown got deeper. "Maybe, if you give me a genuine chance you will know that I am not what you think I am and I am worth your time and attention."

She leaned back in her chair. "I already have a guy that I want to genuinely give a chance to and who is worth my time and attention."

"Oh! Mr. Potato? You didn't even remember him when you were making out with me in the back of the bar," he said, a devilish smirk appearing on his face.

He leaned in more on the table. "Admit it, Elena. The reason you keep being so defensive and difficult is because you're attracted to me. You want this as much as I do. But you're scared because we both know that this could either be the best thing or the worst thing. We have the potential to wreck each other if this didn't work out. This could make us or break us. But we can't ignore it. This, whatever is between us, is too strong to be ignored."

She looked down nervously. He was tempting her and she would be lying if she said it didn't affect her. She was always being Daddy's perfect girl, Mum's princess and the most obedient younger sister to her siblings.

"Don't hold yourself back because of fear. It's better to look back on life and say "I can't believe I did that" than to look back and say "I wish I did that" Trust me I know…" he added.

Their server came back with their food. He placed it carefully on the table. Elena smiled at him and complimented him on their service. Damon couldn't help but notice she was kind to everyone but him. That bothered him. Why was he an exception to her affections and kindness? What did he possibly do to make her dislike him so much?

She closed her eyes and opened again looking up to him once their server was gone. "Attracted to you? Are you kidding me? You don't even come close to my usual standards. The guy I am going out with wears Armani to sleep. Now that's my standard." she reminded him of her date.

He looked amused. "So you like dating pompous show offs."

"El is a great guy," Elena defended her date. "and I really like him," she added. She noticed his eyes darken and his jaw clenching.

"Good for him, you're not going out with him anymore if you don't want me to break his legs," he replied, smiling sadistically.

Elena wanted to tell him that Elijah was an 800 year old vampire and could kill him faster than a snap of his fingers but that would only get her into more trouble.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, curiously when she didn't reply

"I could muster up some sadistic, hyperbolic fatal ending for you to express my hatred of your very existence but you aren't even worth that so I am just gonna ignore you," she replied nonchalantly and looking away.

He scoffed looking away. "Elena, you asked for it." He said looking down.

"What?"

"You're gonna give me a genuine chance to know you and from now on and no more snarky comments or there will be consequences," he said in a dark tone.

"Really? Like what?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "You're gonna threaten to kidnap my family again?" she added venomously.

"No! If you don't promise now that you will behave for the rest of the night. You're gonna regret what I do next." he said, smirking.

"Screw you."

He looked amused. "Last chance? Start being nice to me like you were being nice to that server or you'll get _it._ "

"Get what?"

"YOU'RE DIVORCING ME FOR MY BROTHER," he shouted and she nearly jumped out of her seat. "PLEASE! DON'T DO THAT. THINK ABOUT THE KIDS," he added in the same loud and fake sad tone.

"What are you doing?" Elena hissed, looking around seeing now that everyone in the restaurant had their attention focused on them.

"ELENA! YOU SHAGGED MY BROTHER, MY BEST FRIEND EVEN MY GARDENER AND I FORGAVE YOU EVERY TIME BECAUSE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUT NOW YOU WANT TO LEAVE ME…WHAT ABOUT OUR TWO KIDS?" he shouted in the same dramatic tone.

"Damon! What the hell? You're embarrassing me…" she whispered, alarmed. "He is lying…We aren't even…" she tried to clear the situation up but everyone kept glaring at her.

"WHAT ABOUT LILY AND JEREMY?" he asked in a fake pleading tone.

"Damon…What the hell? Stop it," she hissed under her breath.

"YOU SAY YOU DON'T CARE," he shouted as if aghast by her statement.

"Stop it," she whispered.

"You know what I want…" he whispered quickly before he opened his mouth to shout again.

"I WORK MY ASS OFF FOR YOU. I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING AND YOU STILL WANT TO LEAVE ME," he added, fake desperation seeping into his tone.

"Okay…Okay…I promise. I will be nice to you. I will give you a genuine chance. Just stop this," she said seeing that everyone looked at her with anger and disgust.

"Tell me you like me and you're attracted to me?" he added quickly.

"I most certainly would never say that."

"YOU HAVE BEEN SHAGGING MY BUTLER BEHIND MY BACK TOO," he said as if he was one second away from dying due to shock and desperateness.

"I like you…I am attracted to you," she said, quickly.

"Also say it?"

"What?" she asked, desperate for him to stop. She had never been so embarrassed in her life.

"That I am hot," he said but his face still very serious.

"Yes, you're really hot"

"and sexy?" he added

"And very sexy." she agreed immediately.

"Now, Was that too hard?" he said as a smirk appeared on his face.

"Check please?" he called the server.

Elena dropped her head in her hands. This man was smarter than the devil himself. She was gone for good now.

..

..

They walked out of the restaurant, 'holding hands' on his insistence. People gave her stink eye and continuous glares as she walked out, her head hung low in embarrassment. She looked at her hand tightly clasped in his. Her brother would grill her if he ever saw her holding hands with none other than the chief of Rippers. How did she end up in this situation again? Right. Caroline!

He stopped in front of his car and looked at the beautiful brunette girl. She was still in aftershocks of what he did to her in the restaurant. He would admit, it was wrong. But, she didn't give him a choice. He really liked her. There was something about her that pulled him in. He wanted her really bad and by wanted he didn't mean just her ravishing body. He wanted her company. He wanted to know her. He wanted to look at her.

She was being stubborn. She wouldn't give him a chance before. She would like him if she knew the real him. She might be stubborn but she hasn't seen the level of stubborn he could be. She didn't know that when he wants something he obsessed over it until he got it. She had no chance now. He just had to have her and by "have" he meant all of her. Heart, body, affections, and soul.

"That was very mean of you," she hissed.

"I never said I was nice, plus look who's talking." He replied, smirking.

"What?"

"You're awfully rude, Elena. I have done nothing but be a gentleman to you and you keep shooting me down. I am warning you if you keep pushing me away I won't play nice anymore," he warned.

"I'm not being rude. You're just not worth me."

"Ohh…I am not worth you? You have no idea of the number of women who are dying to be with me? If you date me that's like winning a lottery. You should be the one who should be chasing me." He seemed angry as his eyes narrowed.

"Get your head out of your ass," she replied as she chuckled. "you know what? You remind me of a hemorrhoid, a pain in the ass who won't go away."

"How can someone so little be so annoying?" he asked himself.

"You're one to be talking," she replied.

"Well…Keep fighting with me…I don't mind. From my experience, the only reason women pick fights with men is because they are insanely attracted to them."

She looked shell-shocked for a second. Her wit disappeared. For the first time, she didn't have a sarcastic reply.

"You're delusional," she said after a minute.

"You're sexy," he retorted and she instantly flushed.

"You're an asshole."

"Nope…Like you said, I'm a hemorrhoid. I irritate assholes!" he replied.

"Fuck you," she growled.

"I know you would," he replied stifling a chuckle. She looked at him with utmost anger for a second, he thought she would explode but to his surprise, she didn't reply and looked away.

"What? Out of comebacks?" he asked, challenging her.

"I don't argue with idiots. That's beneath the level of Elena Gilbert," she said with an air of indifference.

"Well! You're stuck with this idiot…" he replied.

"Keep dreaming," she replied swishing her hair back.

"I am not kidding Elena. Jokes aside, I really like you…The way you fight me, the way you're so honest, the way you pretend to hate me…I am saying pretend because your eyes always give you away…you're amazing, Elena Gilbert." He complimented her. She looked perplexed by his sudden change of behavior.

 _"and you're mine. All mine."_ he added in his mind.

"I am not falling for that," she said shrugging after a while.

"Of course, you aren't. Out of every woman in the universe I had to fall for the queen of stubbornness," he mumbled to himself.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied instantly.

"but seriously Elena. Give me a chance…"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're a player, Damon. I know the game you're playing…I have met hundreds of guys like you…"

"Hundreds?" He seemed surprised and offended.

"That's not the point," She sighed a cold sigh.

"Elena! I don't chase every girl like I am chasing you. You're special for me and I value you as a person. You have so much fire and honesty in you. You make me feel emotions I haven't felt in ages. And I know that I am not perfect. You're right I am a player but I am man enough to say that I need to change. I can change for you… I want to be a better person for you. I will leave the game. I will be committed to you but at least give me a chance? Please." he finished holding her knuckles to his chest.

Elena wanted to push him away. _"Say no…Say no."_ her mind screamed. But it was as if he compelled her. She nodded "Okay," she whispered. A smile crept on his face. He was glad there weren't many people at the parking lot to witness this. He bent down to kiss her cheek. "Thank you," he seemed genuinely happy.

"So, now that you have decided to give me a genuine chance. I know the perfect place where we could spend the night." he said and noticed her eyes go wide. "I didn't mean it like that," he added quickly seeing her nostrils flare.

"I. Would. Rather. Eat. Raw. Vervain. Than. Sleep. With. An. Asshole. Like. You." she growled as she took a step with each word at him, he reflexively backed away, hands in front of him.

"Woah! Woah! I just said I didn't mean it like that. I don't wanna sleep with you," he said, fast.

Elena looked taken aback. "I mean I do wanna sleep with you but not before you develop feelings for me. I want it to mean something." He said earnestly.

"For tonight, I just want to talk to you and get to know you. Everything. From your favorite color to the stories from your high school." he added.

She looked at him suspiciously.

"So, no matter how bad you want to jump my bones and make sexy vampire love to me I think we should wait," he said with a smirk and he noticed a glint of a smile before she spun around quickly.

"Don't worry…I didn't see that smile on your face," he said.

She walked away with a smirk and heard him following her.

"So, where to?" she asked, folding her arms on her chest.

"I know the perfect place." he replied a slight excitement in his tone.

..

..

"This is your car," Elena said admiring his blue Camaro.

"Gorgeous huh?" he said as he held the door open for her.

"This is my baby, my most prized possession, the reason of my existence, the love of my life, the…" he was cut off by her giggle "I get it! I get it! You love it" she said once her giggles settled.

She jumped in and he closed the door after her before looking around for anyone. Seeing as he found no human close, he zoomed to his side.

..

..

In about ten minutes, Elena was standing on the rooftop of the bar that Damon compelled the owner of the bar to allow them to use. She had to admit, it had a great view. She waited for him as he made arrangements while she admired the beautiful lights of the city.

She took a deep breath when the cool breeze touched her bare shoulders. She crossed both of her arms on her chest. She heard him come back upstairs. She turned around and watched him set a table.

"I am sorry I am late," he said, softly.

"I am sorry you're alive," she retorted and she saw him roll his eyes. "Ohh! Yeah, I forgot. I have to try to be nice to you…genuine chance," she added.

"Let me help," she said as she zoomed to his side and helped him set the table. She almost laughed when she saw him look nervous when he took out some candles.

"At least I am trying to be romantic," he said pouting.

"And failing miserably too," she snickered.

"This is my first time," he said under his breath.

"Ohh…That's…" she didn't know what to say.

She smiled as she saw him concentrate on setting up the table with plates and glasses that he probably stole from somewhere. "I brought us something to eat since we didn't get to eat at the restaurant after you know what I..." he trailed off.

She glared at him but didn't say anything.

"Wait! I will bring us chairs" he said as he disappeared and reappeared within minutes.

He placed the chair to her side of the table and she sat down gracefully. He mimicked her actions. "Ooh," he said as he remembered. He reached for the bag and took out the takeout he just bought.

"Beef Burrito for you and a mixed for me," he said.

She immediately opened her takeout box and started eating. She was starving. He watched as her long chocolate brown hair started swaying because of the light breeze. She sat there like a queen radiating beauty that he had never witnessed before. Her innocence was her halo. She looked too pure to be something horrible like a vampire.

Then again she wasn't a proper vampire either. She never killed. He remembered that. That fact seemed to attract him more to her. He had been a vampire for almost more than one and a half century and he "slipped", sometimes deliberately. And she, even while being a young vampire had self control. She seemed flawless, perfect, an embodiment of purity.

"Are you gonna eat that?" she asked snapping him out of his thoughts.

"No…Help yourself," he said giving her his takeout box along with the plate.

She took it from him eagerly without hesitating and he watched, amused as she stuffed burrito in her mouth.

"You know I pegged you for one of those girls who doesn't eat anything other than salad," he said starting a conversation.

She looked at him as if annoyed. "I have been starving since morning. Don't judge me."

"Why? Nervous because you were going on a date with the great Damon Salvatore."

"No! Depressed because I was going on date with Damon Salvatore," she retorted wiping her hands with a napkin.

"Genuine chance, remember?" he reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah."

"So! I wanna know everything about you…Start! Tell me everything about yourself," he said dropping his hands on the table.

She shook her head and let out a chuckle. "Okay! What do you wanna know?"

"Why do you hate me so much?" he asked immediately.

"I…I don't hate you…I am just not very excited about your existence," she replied.

His brows furrowed. "See! Girls don't do that. I mean look at me. Women are all over me. Why aren't you all over me?"

"because the world doesn't revolve around you. Seriously, you're so self-centered it's ridiculous. You may have a perfect body but your personality sucks. You think you can get anything just because you want it. The world doesn't work the way you want it too…" she trailed off seeing a smirk appear on his face. "What?"

"You think I have a perfect body. Well, that's a start," he said, chuckling.

"Really?" she huffed in annoyance.

"Elena, you keep complaining that I am self-absorbed and I make people do what I want when you're as stubborn and selfish as I am. I have been begging you to give me a genuine chance and you keep rejecting me."

"How am I supposed to take a guy like you serious?" she said. "Guys like you only want one thing."

"I don't want that thing from you. Not until you admit that you have feelings for me too," he said in a determined tone.

"There are no feelings," she said leaning back in her chair.

"Why do we have to play these silly games like we can't be together? We have a spark, Elena. You might be scared but I am not. So let's skip this all."

"Why? Why me?"

"because you're one of a kind. Because you're so fucking fascinating. You're shy and confident at the same time. You're brave and you actually have enough backbone to talk back to me. You have the ability to dumbfound me. I have never felt this way about anyone in my one and a half century of life so why should I fight what I feel for you. I want you and I will get you. " He was going to continue but her snort stopped him.

"Something funny?" he said in a dark tone.

"Damon I am not gonna fall for this."

He looked up as if trying to control his temper. "Out of all the women in the world, you have to make me crazy about the most stubborn among them all. I bet you're laughing right now?" he mumbled.

"Who are you talking to?" Elena asked.

"Fate."

Elena let out a chuckle.

"You're crazy you know that," he said looking at her. "Messing with a century old vampire. What if I kidnap you right now and keep you captive until you surrender to my sexiness?"

She laughed and then immediately stopped. "You're not serious. Right?" she asked.

"You never know," he said taking a sip from the beer can he just opened.

"Did you have relationships before?" he asked.

She nodded. "Just one in high school."

"Why did you break up? Or did he kill himself because of your stubbornness?" he added also taking a jibe at her discreetly.

"I saw him more as a best friend. Besides my family didn't appro…" she trailed off looking away.

"Your family didn't approve of your boyfriend? Does your family get a say in who you date?" he asked curiously.

She nodded as she tried to open the can of beer. Even with vampire strength she never could manage to open lids or cans. He took it from her hand and flicked it open.

"So, I would need your family's approval to be with you?" he said making a face.

Elena looked at him and nearly laughed. As if her family would ever approve of him. Her brother would stake himself if he ever found out that the chief of Rippers took a liking to her.

"Jenna likes me and I don't think Lil Gilbert will ever have a problem with me," he said as if in deep thought.

Oh yeah. He thought Jenna was her mum. She hated herself that she was even lying to him.

"Were you popular in high school?" he asked, curiously. "Wait! Don't answer that, Of course, you were popular. You were a cheerleader for goodness sake," he said more to himself than her.

She looked at him as she saw him mumble.

"Do you still have that uniform?" he asked, lewdly.

"Mind out of the gutter, Damon."

"A guy can dream," he replied sighing.

"You're really vile, disgusting and blunt," Elena said looking at him.

"I know. But I am also very attractive, hot and sexy," he said.

"You love yourself more than Kanye loves Kanye," she retorted and she saw him flinch.

"and your attitude is as fake as Kim Kardashian's breasts" he replied feeling insulted being compared to Kanye West.

She let out a giggle. "You read gossip magazines,"

"I swear they are my brother's. I just read this one article ages ago when I was very bored," he replied slightly embarrassed.

She let out a chuckle.

"Stefan is really into Hollywood. He even got cast on Fast and Furious once but I compelled the casting director to pick Vin Diesel instead" he said in a very serious tone.

She let out a chuckle again.

"Stefan doesn't know that so please don't mention that to him." He added.

"It's just you and your brother?" she asked, she didn't know much about _Rippers_. She was always curious but her family didn't approve of her asking questions about them.

He looked taken aback for a second but then a smile crept on his face. She was finally warming up to him. She was curious about him _. About fucking time._

"Yes…Me, Stefan and my two best friends. Enzo and Bonnie"

"The witch?" she asked, brows furrowed as she remembered.

"Not just any witch. She is a Bennett witch," he said slightly proud. "They are one of the most powerful witch clans in the world," he added.

He looked at Elena, biting his lower lip. He shouldn't tell her these things. Bonnie was one of the secret weapons of their clan against any threat. Everyone knew they had an alliance with the Bennett witches but he shouldn't exactly point which "Witch" was their ally _. But this is Elena. She is recently turned. She doesn't know about clan politics_. He thought.

"and she is the mate of your friend, that vampire Enzo, right?" she asked.

"Yes…"

"but she isn't a vampire," Elena said, confused. Wasn't a mating bond supposed to be between two vampires.

"Oh! You're confused about the mating bond?" he asked.

She nodded.

"It doesn't matter who the vampire's subject of affection is. If he is in love with her, everything about her would appeal to him. Enzo says her blood sings for him. She was it for him." he explained to her.

"This sounds crazy," Elena said looking appalled by the idea.

"You haven't met many vampires yet…you have no idea how crazy this connection is. Enzo says he can feel Bonnie's emotions and sometimes he can even access her thoughts." He added, to keep the conversation going.

"How long have they been together?"

"2 years."

"But wouldn't accessing thoughts need more time? Their bond is still fresh," Elena inquired.

He leaned in on the table. "Yes. It takes years before one can access their mate's thoughts. Your bond should at least be a decade old for that but if you concentrate real hard you can access their thoughts from a distance. That rarely happens though. According to Enzo, accessing thoughts is really tiring at the early stage."

He looked at her. A thought came to his mind. Was this why his doe-eyed vampire was keeping him at an arm's length? She didn't want him to develop any feelings for her because it could complicate things in the future. Because if he fell in love with her, he would definitely want her to be his mate. And from what he was feeling for her he was sure that was bound to happen sooner or later. Maybe she was one of those female vampires who thought the mating bond was a liability. Great! This was just getting worse with every second.

"You know being human was way easier," Elena huffed.

"What are you talking about? We have speed, we have power, we heal instantly and we have eternity," he counted all the advantages out on his fingers.

She smiled seeing his optimism.

"You don't like being a vampire?" he asked, frowning.

"Being human is less complicated…" she said looking down.

"Do you miss being human?" he asked bluntly.

She looked up at him. No one had asked her that after her transition.

She couldn't lie to his intense eyes. She nodded.

"Tell me about that…your human life," he asked, curiously.

Even though she initially refused he still insisted. She finally gave in. She told him some discrete parts of her childhood and her teenage life. Unlike what she had assumed, he wasn't lewd or disrespectful. He genuinely seemed interested in her.

He listened to her and shared some of his human stories as well. "It's so weird to listen to stories of a guy who comes from the time of Einstein" she mocked once he was done with a story of how his younger brother got caught at a brothel by their father.

"HAHA! Stop with the age jokes" he seemed annoyed by that.

She laughed at his annoyed expression again. She had been laughing a lot tonight. She noticed that. He managed to make her laugh a lot.

"What?" she looked at him when she noticed his gaze.

"your laugh…it does things to me," he replied.

"Wanna go for a walk?" he added looking at empty streets. Elena checked her wrist-watch. It was twelve already. She had been so busy talking about her human life to him she had lost track of time. It was just so different than her time with Elijah. Her conversations with Elijah was formal. He didn't even bother to connect with her. While her date tonight was doing everything to get to know her.

"Earth to Elena!" he waved his hand in front of her.

"What?"

"Wanna go for a walk?"

"At this time of the night?" she said, brows furrowed.

"We are vampires. I hardly think any human serial killer could harm us. And besides, even if someone still dared, I will make sure they never get to see daylight again," he added, holding his hand out for her.

She ignored his hand and got up.

"Elena!"

"What?" she said as she walked toward the stairs.

"Remember…genuine chance?" he reminded her.

"Why do we have to hold hands like kindergartners?"

"because I want to," he replied smugly.

She walked down the stairs with him following her.

"Elena?" he said again once they reached the last step.

"God! You just always have to get your way. Why are you so stubborn?" she said giving up and holding his hand while he looked smug at another victory.

"You've just mistaken my assertiveness for stubbornness. Besides my way is the better way," he replied. "Why are you so irritable?" he added.

"I will stop being irritable when you stop being irritating." She replied rolling her eyes.

"Then you are in for a rough ride because I like irritating you," he said, smirking. "Like I will ever meet you after tonight," she huffed.

He smirked. "Of course, we are gonna meet after this. I am taking you as my date in our annual ball in Mystic Falls," he informed her.

"I never agreed to that." Elena said, frowning.

"I have already told the hosts that you will be my plus one for the event," he said as if her approval didn't matter.

"Damon, I already told you that this was going to be a onetime thing." she stopped.

"No," he said shaking his head. She opened her mouth to continue arguing but he quickly changed the topic. He didn't want to fight again. They had been doing that a lot ever since they met. She was just opening up to him and he wanted to talk to her. About anything. He just wanted to talk.

"Do you want a snack?" he said looking at a few people far away.

"We just ate." she reminded him of their dinner.

"That was two hours ago," he said with a smirk.

"I am full," she said shrugging.

"I am not talking about food…I am talking about our snack," he said as his eyes lingered toward a few people a little further away.

"No thanks. Besides, I can't drink from the vein."

He spun around looking at her. "Why?" he asked. "Why can't you drink from the vein?" he asked, curious.

She crossed her arms over her chest and continued walking while he kept walking facing her.

"When a vampire drinks from a living source they can feel its emotions…" she explained.

"Aha..."

"What's the emotion their living source feel the most?" she asked him.

"Fear," he replied instantly.

"Yes and I don't know why but I just can't drink blood which is so full of raw fear. It disgusts me. I always throw up whenever I force a human to give their blood to me. My system just doesn't accept that blood." she explained moving her hands.

"So…How do you…?" he trailed off confused.

"Blood bags. My brother buys me the most expensive and refined blood from willing volunteers," she replied.

"Jeremy is one hell of a brother," Damon said.

Elena instantly felt guilty again. She was lying to him and her family at the same time. This was wrong. So wrong.

"Yeah…Yeah, he is."

"But, it must have been difficult. I mean after you turned it must have taken you time to figure out why unlike every normal vampire you can't drink from a living source?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

She smiled at him. For a person who met her just a week ago, he was awfully concerned about her. He must really like her.

"It was…I starved for days. I thought I was gonna die," she replied looking down.

When she looked up she saw his face scrunched up in pain as if the thought of her in pain, pained him.

"You're okay now. Don't think about that…I won't let anything ever happen to you," he said earnestly and she had to suppress a smile.

She smiled still walking while he kept his pace with her, still walking backward.

"You know if we compel the human to not feel fear…maybe you will be able to drink from him," he said, brainstorming for solutions.

"I am perfectly happy with blood bags," she replied.

"But this isn't normal behavior Elena. Fresh blood is stronger. Blood bags taste…weird," he said making a face. "I wouldn't be able to survive a day on them," he added.

She shook her head and laughed at the face he made at the thought of blood bags.

"You know…I can ask Bonnie to look up a solution for this…" he said.

"I am okay, Damon," she said sighing. "Let it go," she added.

He was concerned about her. Blood bags weren't even half as good as fresh blood from a living source. It tasted bad. It didn't fuel their abilities enough to work properly. He was surprised she had lived on them so far.

"We will have to figure out a way for you to feed properly." he mumbled.

He was caring. She figured that out. Caring, persistent, funny and really stubborn. She didn't want to admit it but she was starting to like him.

..

..

"Again." he huffed in annoyance when she beat him at their drinking game again.

"Do you need a bib, Damon?" she asked, pouting, mocking him.

"One more…I can easily beat you at this," he said ordering one more round of shots.

"Give up already, you sore loser." she taunted him.

They had been walking around the city for two hours until he suggested that they go to a bar instead. He suggested playing a quick question game with every round of shots. While his concentration was on her answers since the sole purpose for his date with her was to get to know her as much as he could, her concentration, on the other hand, was on the game. He had purposely put her phone on silent when she wasn't looking so no one would interrupt his time with her. He wanted her undivided attention.

She was finally loosening up after some shots. "I am a Ripper. We never give up." he said as he gestured for her to start. She won again. She laughed loudly and booed him. "Won again," she said as she cheered. His eyes were drawn to her and he couldn't resist just looking at her when she was so happy. The only reason he let her win a third time in a row was because he was addicted to her giggles. She seemed flawless, perfect, an embodiment of purity and why wouldn't she be? She never killed, even while being a young vampire.

Her mischievous laughter filled the room giving him a reason to cherish every moment that he could spend with her. Her giggles were addictive. He knew for sure that if she wept, the whole world would want to console her, she was beautiful like that.

His eyes followed the movement of her hands and he tried his best not to get distracted by her curves and body. Her skin looked as if made of glass. She looked so soft. His hand crept on the counter of the bar to hers. He laced his fingers with hers.

Elena looked at their intertwined fingers and then at him. She smiled at him and he knew she was confused; she couldn't understand why she fascinated him so much.

"Must you gawk?" she asked a hint of fake anger in her tone.

"I can't help it" he replied, shamelessly smirking.

"Damon, why do you keep staring at me like that?" she said, a little confused.

"You remind me of…something." he said still looking at their interlaced fingers, enjoying the feel of her skin.

"What? I remind you of "something"…" she looked like she was insulted. "What? What do I remind you of?" She demanded her eyes now icy and her posture stiff.

"Sunrise…you remind me of sunrise."

"Oh," she looked taken aback.

"How can I possibly remind you of sunrise?" she replied, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"A sunrise is a promise of a new beginning. Another chance. Hope. Redemption. Another chance to do better or feel better. The future possibilities. Sunrise is the light at the end of the tunnel. Night can be scary even for those of us who are actually known as creatures of the dark yet you are as bright and beautiful as the rising sun. You're giving me a chance with you that makes you my personal sunrise." he said softly playing with her hand.

She blinked slowly, focusing on his eyes.  
"Wow," She muttered.

"I am not playing you. That's purely my inner artist speaking." he spoke softly brushing her hair off her face.

"You're a painter?" she asked, surprised.

"Not exactly, I am more of a Sketch Artist," he admitted.

"Oh…that's totally unexpected," she replied.

"Can you sketch me?" she asked, excited.

"With my eyes closed," he said with a smirk.

"Huh…"

"Nothing."

"Draw my rough sketch," she insisted.

"Not now. I will draw you on our third date." he replied.

"What about the second date?" she asked.

"I can't sketch on an official dinner." He said rolling his eyes.

"Wait! I didn't say yes to that," she reminded him.

"As if you have a choice…" he replied, smugly."You're going with me," he added, strictly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. She was about to open her mouth to argue but was interrupted by him.

"Wanna dance? Unlike Mr. Potato I do know how to dance." he offered.

There wasn't much of a crowd in the bar now. It was almost three in the morning. He had compelled the bar staff not to close down the bar until they were ready to leave. She didn't refuse this time as he pulled her to the dance floor.

..

..

"You tripped two times," Elena laughed at him as his car raced toward a spot he wanted her to see.

"You stepped on me," he reminded her.

"Everyone was laughing at you."

"Thank you for shattering my self-confidence," he said almost like a robot and she laughed again.

She was a little tipsy from drinking but he was sober enough to drive. They had somehow decided to watch the sunrise together. She had enjoyed her time with him so much that she had forgotten her promise to be home at ten. She looked at her watch. It was nearly four forty-five. She had completely forgotten that Damon was her family's enemy. She had forgotten that her family would skin her if they ever found out about this.

She leaned back on the seat and enjoyed as the cool breeze coming from the car window brushed her skin.

"It's my turn to ask a question," he broke the silence. He said reminding them of their quick question game they started at the bar.

"Damon, you now know everything from my favorite color to my favorite underwear brand. Would more possibly do you want to know more about me?" she asked, yawning. After all, they had been up all night, talking, dancing and fighting.

"Did you ever have a crush on your best friend's boyfriends?" he asked.

She laughed again. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"My best friend's boyfriend, well husband now, is my brother" she replied still laughing.

"Oooh…wait…Jeremy is married?" Damon asked, surprised.

Damn it. How can she forget? According to him, Jeremy was her brother.

"Ahh…No…Not Jeremy. My cousin brother," she corrected.

"You're really close to your cousin brother. Aren't you?" he asked looking at her.

She nodded, looking away. "Okay…so next question…"

"It's my turn," Elena reminded him.

"That one doesn't count," he snapped.

"Okay! Okay…So pushy," she said pouting.

"If you could be any fictional character who would it be?" he asked

"Anna from Fifty Shades of Grey." she replied.

"What?" he seemed shocked.

"Imagine a hot CEO ravishes you…so hot." she said moaning.

A current ran through his body and he felt his pants tighten. He gulped. Was she trying to kill him or something when he was trying his level best to act like a gentleman?

"You read that shit too?" he asked, making a face.

"Excuse me. It has a very interesting story."

"Yes! In between 300 pages of porn there are 4 pages of story" he retorted. "As if Twilight wasn't enough now we had to tolerate that shit. Jeez! Thanks, world."

She chuckled and looked out of the window.

He stole a glance at her when he was sure she wasn't looking. "Elena!"

"Huh?"

"You are allowed to come to our side of Mystic Falls," he said.

"Huh…" she asked confused.

"No one can enter our side of Mystic Falls without my approval and if they do they are immediately subjected to death, you were the only one we allowed to leave unharmed. I just want to tell you that you're allowed, In case you ever wanna visit again," he added. "And so are your friends…but please inform me before you invite them over, " he added.

"Uhh…okay. Thank you," she said. As if she would ever go to their side of Mystic Falls.

" I have another question," he said and she had to stop herself from groaning. He had taken the _'getting to know you'_ to a whole another level. She let out a cold sigh and gestured for him to ask.

..

..

Standing on the rooftop of the Four Seasons Hotel she enjoyed the view of the sunrise. Elena smiled widely as the rays of sun broke through the dusky sky slowly. The sky in the opposite direction was still dark, but in the east, a mixture of yellow and orange on the horizon beneath a dark blue ocean of night had begun to spread.

Damon stood behind her and watched her gaze at the sky as if it was her first time to look at open sky. He watched her eyes, fiercely and intensely. There were so many emotions in them. Her eyes were mesmerizing. Her eyes were hypnotic.

 _"So innocent...so beautiful...mine...All mine."_ he thought.

"Beautiful," she breathed.

"I couldn't agree more," he whispered, only she didn't know that he wasn't talking about the sunrise. Gaining confidence, he circled his arms around her and dipped his head in her silky locks. Her body against him jolted him as if a current passed through him. His hands raced up and down her bare arms. He could feel her, he could sense her, he could breathe her. He breathed in her scent. Even her scent was intoxicating. _"Made for me,"_ he thought as he enjoyed the feel of her against him.

Against the tri-colored rainbow sky, trees, power lines, and the roofs of houses were like shadows. The colors made by the rising sun changed, growing more vivid with the passing time.

"Thank you for this." she turned around, beaming at him. She was talking to him about how amazing the sunrise was but all he could see was her beautiful face, beaming with happiness. She looked like a sketch of a goddess brought to life. Without asking permission, he leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss. She stiffened for a second but as soon as he was about to pull back her lips moved with his. Her arms circled his neck as she pulled him closer, tiptoeing to reach him. It wasn't eager like it was a night ago, this time it was slow.

They didn't deepen the kiss initially, just brushing their lips against each other's hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. Damon felt his dead heart skip a beat when she deepened the kiss. Running her fingers through his hair, she felt her legs turn to putty beneath her. Warmth enveloped her body when he pressed her to him to get closer to her. Damon felt his blood like a molten lava in his veins when she moaned, his brain lit on fire. He kissed her with fervor. He wanted her to make more sounds like that for him.

The kiss seemed to go on for eternity. They only broke away with the sound of the door banging. "What?" he growled in annoyance at the person who disturbed them.

"Oh…sorry," he apologized as he went back.

"We didn't just do that," he heard Elena whisper.

"Oh! We did and you liked it," he said, a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips.

Elena groaned. She kissed him again. What was wrong with her? He was the enemy. She shouldn't be doing this. But something pulled her to him. But what about her family. They would never approve of him. _Shit! Her family._

"It's almost six thirty," she looked at her wristwatch, panicked.

"Let's have breakfast and then I will drop you at home," he offered holding her hand.

"No…I really need to go now," she said, panicking. She was supposed to be back at ten at night. Why the fuck did she spend a whole night talking to her family's biggest enemy. And the worst part was, she actually enjoyed it. She liked him. She wanted to stay with him. This was wrong.

"Just breakfast?" he insisted, not ready to let her go.

"Damon…Please." she insisted.

"Okay…Okay," he said as he rolled his eyes.

"Just drop me back at the restaurant where you embarrassed the hell out of me," she said and he let out a chuckle as he remembered.

They walked back silently downstairs. Not using their vampire speed because they didn't want their time to end yet.

..

..

Elena fell asleep in his car. She must be tired. He thought. After all, he kept her awake all night. He bit his lip as he remembered their kiss a few moments ago. He had a dream about them. Somehow, he knew her even before the time he was aware of her existence. He longed to kiss her lips. She had unknowingly tormented him for two long years.

And now that he found her he wanted to kiss her over and over again and somehow he knew he would never get tired of her. She was innocent. Her soul was pure even though she was a vampire. He loved her innocence. He loved the way she fought back with him and called him on his shit. She made him feel human emotions again.

He raced his car to her house. He could drop her car at her house, later. Right now, she needed to rest. Her mother would be mad at her. Suddenly he felt guilty for putting her phone on silent and keeping her with him all night. Not that they did anything other than talking and fighting but still he should have at least made sure she called her mother and informed her that she was safe.

He stopped his car in front of her house. It was nearly eight in the morning now. He looked at her. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes were tightly shut. Her features were much softer in sleep. She looked peaceful. He wanted nothing more than to curl up into the curve of her body but she would probably freak out and accuse him of harassment. She was after all fire.

He smiled as he brushed his fingers against her cheeks. He placed a kiss on her forehead before he slowly opened the door of his car and walked to her side of the car. He opened her door. She was a heavy sleeper, he figured that out when he picked her up and she didn't even move.

"Come on, Baby Vamp. Let's get you home," he whispered.

He managed to ring the bell without moving her much. A very angry Jenna opened the door. Her eyes widened when she saw him and then her eyes widened further when she saw Elena in his arms.

"She is just sleeping," he said before Jenna could shout.

Jenna's breathing got faster. "I am sorry I kept her with me all night but trust me we were just talking," he added as he entered her house like he owned it.

"Where is Elena's bedroom?" he asked.

Jenna pointed to a room on the side. He walked into her room. It didn't look like Elena used it much. "Why was she with you?" Jenna asked and he shushed her looking at Elena. He carefully set her on her bed, taking her heels off afterward.

He looked at her one last time before he spun around and left the room with Jenna following him.

"Didn't Elena tell you? We were on a date," he informed her, frowning.

"No.., she… she didn't," Jenna said, looking uncomfortable.

"Oh…Well! She wanted to come back early but we kept talking and lost track of time," he said just so she wouldn't get in trouble with her mum.

Jenna nodded.

"Your daughter is amazing…really," he said, looking slightly dazed.

Jenna nodded plastering a fake smile on her face.

"I…I should leave. I have a long drive back… please tell her to call me after she wakes up," he requested, slightly nervous. He talked to a lot of girls. He never bothered with their mothers though. This was new to him.

Jenna's eyes narrowed but then she composed herself and smiled. "Okay."

With one last look at Elena's room, he walked out of the house, smiling widely.

..

..

Elena woke up. Where was she? She looked around. It looked like she was at Jenna's house. But what was she doing here? Last thing she remembered was …kissing Damon and then she asked him to drop her back at the restaurant so she could take her car and go back home. "SHIT," she hissed. He must have brought her here since he thought this was her house. She frantically looked for her wristwatch. It was nearly two. "Shit," she said as she jumped out of bed.

"And Was she here all night?" she could hear her brother's voice.

Elena felt life escape through her. Nick was here. Her brother was here. This was bad. "I can hear her…she is awake," she heard Kol.

The door of her room opened, instantly. She cowered slightly as she saw both her brothers glaring at her. She was in deep trouble.

..

..

 _Beta Credits to Alta Beorn, you've done such amazing work._

 _I might change some portions in this chapter soon. I've some more things that I deleted from the first draft._

 _Do review? Your words would mean the world to me._


	6. The Ripper won't back off

**Chapter 5: 'The Ripper won't give up'**

* * *

She backed up a few steps. "Nick…I…" she stammered to explain.

"How many times have I told you not to leave town without my permission?" he growled taking each step.

"I…" she struggled to speak.

"What were you doing here?" he asked.

She bit her lip, looking down in fear. Who wouldn't when your brother is a thousand-year-old vampire?

"Answer me," he hissed.

"I came here to meet a friend," she choked.

"It doesn't matter why she came here, Klaus," Kol seethed. "Every person follows clan rules, Elena and you are no different. Especially at this time of crisis when the werewolves attacked again," Kol added.

"Werewolves attacked again?" she looked up.

"Yes, you would know if you stayed at home. And then we find out that Honey isn't home either. We called you many times. We thought they kidnapped you or harmed you. Do you know how panicked Klaus and I were?" Kol hissed.

"We searched for you all night," He added. "Honey here is having parties with her friends while her brothers are frantically searching for her."

"I NEARLY FUCKING CROSSED THE BORDER, IF ONLY CARE HADN'T FESSED UP," Klaus finally snapped.

"You know what that would have meant. Don't you?" He growled. She flinched and backed away. "WAR," he added.

"I was okay…" she managed to choke. She felt tears spring to her eyes but she held them back.

"We would have known that if you picked up your phone," Klaus managed to say through his teeth. It was taking everything in his willpower not to lash out at his sister.

"Uhh…I never got a call…wait" she said as she took out her phone from her jean's pocket. Fifty missed calls from her brothers, her sister, Caroline and her mother welcomed her.

"It was on silent," she said looking at her brothers. She internally growled. That idiot Ripper must have put her phone on silent when she wasn't looking. He was trouble. He had got her in trouble with her family already. If this was her family's reaction to her disappearance for one night she couldn't imagine what they would do if they found out she had been with a Ripper all night. She already knew the penalty for betraying her clan was death. They wouldn't think twice before killing her. Clan rules were for everyone and she was no exception. It didn't matter if she was their younger sister.

Klaus shook his head in anger. As if that excuse could make up for what he and his family went through. They had been searching for her throughout Mystic Falls after the werewolf attacked one of their vampires outside their territory. He instantly jumped to the worst conclusion when he found out his sister wasn't home. His first thought, Rippers or the werewolves took her. Rebekah and Kol were ready to attack along with their other clan members.

They were ready for war even though they knew that Bennett witches could grill their minds and werewolf's bites could kill them. And Ripper vampires were well trained enough to kill them using oak stakes even if they were less in age. It didn't help that his clan wasn't prepared to attack. But they were still ready to save their sister. And it wasn't because Elena was his sister and was practically royalty here. They would go to war if any of their clan members get attacked. Clan rules. Caroline tried to distract him but her emotions gave her away. That's when he knew his wife knew about Elena's disappearance. She fussed when he threatened to compel it out of her.

He knew Caroline would hate him if he ever tried that. He wasn't going to do it though. He had promised her in his days of "wooing" her that he would never use his superior vampire skills on her and he would always treat her like an equal. But, his sister was under threat and he didn't mess around when it came to his family and clan. Klaus was a man of his word and rules.

"You will be answering father about this," Kol seethed at Elena.

"Look! I was tired and bored at home. I didn't do anything wrong…I am sorry that I caused you so much trouble but I was okay," Elena said as she spun around.

"You didn't do anything wrong? We almost went to war against those lowlife Rippers because we thought their wolves took you. We could have all died because of you…" Kol trailed off when Klaus glared at him.

"Enough…Elena get ready; we are going back home. And Kol, you take her car and go back home. Someone needs to stay at Mystic Falls all the time…" Klaus dismissed Kol.

Kol glared at his sister. Elena stuffed her hand in her pockets searching for her car keys "It's at the parking of that Mexican restaurant near the museum," Elena informed him.

"No…It's outside…he brought it back," Jenna said as she handed Kol, her car keys

Jenna instantly regretted what she said when Klaus's eyes narrowed, cynically.

"Who?"

"A neighbor…" Jenna lied.

Elena knew this was hard on Jenna too. No one wanted to get on Klaus's enemy list. She knew Jenna was covering her for now but she was going to get a serious discussion from Jenna soon.

Klaus nodded. He trusted Jenna. Especially with Elena. Elena had spent enough time here during summer vacations back in school before her transformation. Jenna was Isobel's niece. She knew about them. She knew about their feud with the Rippers. And she knew Klaus's wrath if he ever found out about the Ripper that was awfully interested in his sister.

"I need to make an important call before we leave. Elena, get ready and, Jenna, Thank you once again for keeping her safe. However, I would appreciate it if you would inform me the very instant the next time she shows up here" Klaus said strictly.

"She won't. I am going back to Duke. For my teaching job. Jeremy will be going back to college as well after next week." Jenna informed. "The house will be closed till Christmas," Jenna replied.

"Isn't it too early? You still have a month. As far as I know, the semester doesn't start till September. Is everything okay?" Klaus asked, suspiciously.

"Everything is fine. I just don't feel like Virginia anymore. I have been planning to sell this house for months," Jenna said.

Elena knew what was going through Jenna's mind. She didn't want to get caught in the feud between Rippers and Originals.

Klaus nodded. "But if there is any issue. You know we are here to help right?" Klaus added.

Jenna said "Yes…I know."

Klaus took out his phone from his pocket and walked out of the living room. Jenna ran toward the washroom and opened the tap so no one would hear their conversation.

"What the actual hell do you think you're doing?" she whispered at Elena.

"I…He told me if I didn't go out with him he would kidnap you and Jer. I didn't have a choice,"

"So you thought sleeping with a Ripper is a good solution to get him off our backs," Jenna said rolling her eyes.

"I didn't sleep with him. We only talked," Elena said wincing at the thought.

"But you stayed with him," Jenna reminded her. "Do you have any idea what your clan would do to you if they find out about this…" Jenna added.

"I know…It's just the ripper won't leave me alone," she whispered back. "I tried Jenna. I shot him down repeatedly…he won't back off," she said. She knew this was wrong to blame it all on Damon. She was as attracted to him as he was to her. But she wasn't going to tell that to Jenna and get into more trouble.

"I know that he has it bad for you and I know that you like him too but Elena this will end up in disaster…That ripper would kill you himself if he finds out that you're an Original. And if he doesn't kill you, your clan will. Stop it before this gets out of hand," Jenna warned her.

"I don't know what to do?"

"I am leaving for Duke and I am sending Jeremy back to college…He won't have any leverage on you. Stay out of his way…" Jenna said.

Elena nodded. Yes, Jenna was right. This couldn't go on. This was impossible. Her hanging out with a ripper was a crime itself. She could only imagine her family's reaction if they ever found out about this. Her family might even forgive her but her clan won't. They had strict rules which both clans followed religiously and strict penalties if someone failed to follow the rules.

"I am so sorry for causing you so much inconvenience," she said to Jenna once Jenna closed the taps. "I would have never brought the Ripper here if I had another choice," she added.

"It's okay as long as you keep out of trouble from now on," Jenna said.

"I promise, I will," she said nodding. "That chapter of my life is closed now."

..

..

"You stayed all night with her and it wasn't for sex," Stefan asked him amused. "Who are you and what did you do to my man-whore of a brother?" he added.

"Seriously...What is it about her?" Stefan asked when his brother didn't even bother to comment.

"None of your business," Damon replied rolling his eyes. His brother had a bad habit of interfering with things that didn't concern him. But that was every sibling. Wasn't it?

"But you have checked her background, Right?" Stefan asked. "We don't want a repeat of….you know."

"Don't compare Elena with that bitch. Elena is pure. She is nothing like that bitch," he hissed. Even the very thought angered him.

"I am just saying…"

"No…We are not going there today. I am having a great day and I don't wanna ruin my mood," he said as he tore open a blood bag.

"Since when did you start feeding from blood bags?" Stefan said, making a disgusted face.

"Since about fucking now…" he said as he plunged a straw into the blood bag. He took a sip and felt nauseous the minute the metallic liquid touched his tongue. "How the fuck did she manage to survive five years on this shit?" he said as he threw the bag on the floor. His mouth still stained with blood.

"She…Who?" Stefan asked.

"Elena…She can't drink from the vein so she uses blood bags," he replied.

Stefan's eyes widened in amazement. "Why can't she drink from the vein?"

"She says fear laced blood repulses her…" he replied.

"That's not normal," Stefan replied.

"That's what I said," Damon replied. "I have to figure out a way for her to feed from something other than blood bags…" he added as he zoomed toward a bookshelf.

"What's the situation with Mason?" he asked as he picked out a book. "And yes do tell him that I am royally pissed at what he did yesterday." He added as his nostrils flared. "It took me hours to convince that blithering idiot from the vampire association that Mason wasn't at fault."

"I don't know how he managed to release himself from the chains…It's a miracle no one got hurt. Well! One of the vampires from that Original whore mate's clan did get hurt but that's not our headache. He should know better than to roam around the forest at night all alone," Stefan said smirking.

"He did…Huh…Good," Damon replied smirking at the thought as well.

"Mason says he bit that lowlife vampire. He will be dying a painful death by nightfall," Stefan said pouring himself champagne into a glass.

"That Original _dickhead_ Klaus must be pissed," Damon snickered at the thought. He hated Originals with a passion. "You should have seen the look on his face when the lord of the association agreed with me," he added.

"That won't affect the treaty. Right?" Enzo asked, unsure as he entered the heavily furnished living room. "Of course, it won't. Mason isn't from our clan. He is a werewolf. Werewolves are creatures of instinct. It was a purely coincidental situation. You come in front of a werewolf, he will bite you. Originals know that…They won't dare to mess with us," Damon answered, dismissing the situation.

"I would give a million dollars to see the horrified look on that lowlife Klaus's face when another one of his vampires dies by nightfall," Stefan said sighing.

"Agreed," Enzo added.

Damon was about to comment when his phone buzzed and he immediately took out his phone. _"Let it be Elena…Let it be Elena"_ he thought but his smile faltered. It wasn't her. He tried calling her an hour ago but her phone was switched off. He had requested her mum again to tell her to call him again when he brought back her car to her house. She had switched her phone off and he was sure he was the reason.

He didn't know why though. They had a great time last night. They had talked about absolutely everything and it seemed like she actually enjoyed their time together as well. Then why was she ignoring him again.

He walked to his bedroom as he called her. He was directed to her voicemail again. He fell on his bed frowning. Why was her phone still switched off? Was she okay?

"Of course, she is okay. I dropped her home myself" he mumbled as he stood up and paced around his room. She was just playing with him again. Hard to get, huh? That was fine. They all broke down eventually. She might be hard to get but he was nothing if not persistent. You have to fight for all you want. He wanted her and he would stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

..

..

Family dinner had never been more depressing. They had just returned from a funeral. A vampire from Marcel's clan became the victim of a werewolf's bite. A werewolf bite was fatal even for vampires as old as her family.

Her family tried to get rid of werewolves centuries ago. She knew from Rebekah that they had even been successful until of course, the Rippers happened. Now, the wolves alliance was to the Rippers and both of those clans protected each other furiously. Wolves were one of the reasons every other vampire clan were afraid of Rippers. Only the Rippers knew the cure to the bite and they protected their secret furiously.

Marcel's clan wanted to fight. They wanted war but the vampire association strictly forbid them to take any action.

"They broke the treaty," she heard one of her clan members say to another vampire lord.

"Your treaty is with the Rippers not the werewolves," the vampire lord answered.

"But the Rippers gave them protection…They are responsible too," Kol seethed.

"Kol! Rippers may have allowed them to live in their territory but in no way are they responsible for werewolves. A wolf is a creature of instinct. Jerome died outside the town premises. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Rippers didn't plan any attack. Case closed." The vampire lord snapped at Kol.

"Don't look for trouble where it doesn't exist," he added.

Kol had been fuming ever since. Everyone was so busy with Jerome's funeral and werewolf's attack that Elena's disappearance a night ago had been completely forgotten. Although, Isobel did give her a piece of her mind. She had yet to face her father.

"I am sorry…I tried to distract him but he threatened to compel it out of me…I didn't have a choice. I told him you are at Jenna's. I didn't want him to know about…that Ripper," Caroline whispered in her ear after the dinner.

"I understand. Thanks for covering me..."

"What about him though? Did you tell him that you can't see him ever again after this?" Caroline asked.

Elena shook her head.

"Honey…" Caroline said, her eyes widened. "I thought the whole point of meeting him was to tell him that YOU weren't into him and he should shove whatever the fuck he feels up his arse..ass…sorry. Nick's accent is ruining me…Anyway…Tell him that you're already with someone or you moved out of state. Just tell him to back the fuck off," Caroline continued.

"Care! Relax…Jenna is moving away…he doesn't have any leverage on me anymore. I don't need to tell him anything. His chapter in my life is closed. So chill!" Elena whispered.

"Oh! Thank God," she sighed in relief. "So how was he? Was the date any good?"

"Actually…It was. He is far from the shallow idiot I'd originally thought he was." She paused for a second as she remembered their date one day ago and almost laughed.

"He was charming, cocky and very funny, thoughtful and Ooh! He is a sketch artist. "He's very tough and very arrogant. And god that man has a reply to everything. This one funny thing he said…" she trailed off looking at Caroline's horrified expression.

"I mean…No…It was very bad. I was bored out of my mind," Elena tried to say but Caroline glared at her. "Save it…" she hissed under her breath.

"Just tell me, this is over," Caroline whispered her eyes on her mate.

"Yes…It's over," she mumbled as Klaus drew nearer.

"What's over?" Klaus asked, snaking his arm around Caroline's waist.

"A TV show," Caroline lied expertly.

Klaus smiled, kissing her cheek.

"Honey, A word with you…Come to my house later," he added looking sternly at his sister.

Elena nodded, gulping. There goes her freedom.

"Elena…" she heard someone call her. She spun around and found Elijah right behind her.

"I wanted to talk…Can we go somewhere private?" he asked.

She forced a smile "Sure…"

He held her wrist and Elena momentarily winced at the contact. They walked toward the terrace. He stopped and took a deep breath.

"Elena...I thought about it and I think we should give us another shot. I think we could work. I really like you. I feel something for you and I know that you feel the same…so what do you say?" he said, his eyes hopeful.

She looked at him, unsure of what to say.

"Oh…wow…uh…Thank you for giving me another chance but umm…Elijah…I don't know what to say…"

"How about a do over of our first date?" he said with a kind smile.

Her mind screamed yes. He was exactly what she needed. He was perfect, approved by her family and a genuinely nice man. He was powerful. He was serious about her. But, he seemed so wrong.

"Elena?"

"Okay," she blurted out.

He smiled a bit and bent down to kiss her cheek. She didn't feel any tingles. She didn't feel the spark she felt one day ago. It had only been a day to her date. Damon had been calling her nonstop but she didn't answer any of his calls or texts. She had to admit that she was tempted to but she couldn't. He was far too dangerous.

"I will call you," Elijah said. "Oh and we have a surprise for you," he said winking before leaving.

..

..

Her phone rang just as she was getting in her car. She looked down at the number and frowned. Damon was calling her again. _Would he ever give up?_ She thought. His consistency surprised her. This was the last thing she needed right now. As if he wasn't temptation enough. She hopped in her car after putting her phone on silent. As she pulled out of the garage, her phone beeped again, letting her know there was a new voicemail.

She hasn't heard a single one of them. She knew she wouldn't be able to resist them. She clenched her jaw and gripped the steering wheel tighter. Why won't he leave her alone? They could never work. Not to mention he didn't know that she was his enemy. He would hate her and she wouldn't be able to bear that. It was better this way.

At the next signal, she deleted his text messages and voicemails without reading or listening to them. She arrived at Klaus's house after a while. She rushed inside. She was surprised to find Rebekah and Kol there too. _Great as if one wasn't enough_. She thought.

Klaus and Caroline came downstairs together. Caroline's hands linked with his. They were arguing about something. "It's not…I was thinking in October?"

"Love but your dad won't be back from his world tour by then. We should wait for him." Klaus reminded her. "Yeah but," she trailed off when her foot slipped over tile stairs, almost reflexively Klaus caught her by her waist. Caroline tried to balance herself but she accidentally pushed Klaus off the stairs, however, being a thousand-year-old vampire his reflexes were quick and he landed with his feet on the ground.

"I am so sorry," Caroline apologized.

"It's okay," Klaus said ignoring the chuckles of his siblings.

"This is why I love her," Kol said laughing.

"Had Nick not been a vampire, the girl would have killed him by now," Rebekah muttered earning a glare from both Klaus and Caroline.

"Who wears the high heels at home?" she further commented.

"A person with sense of fashion but what would a thousand-year-old woman know about that," Caroline said as she came down holding Klaus's hand.

"Watch it," Rebekah warned.

"Becky…" Klaus spat.

Rebekah pressed her lips glaring at a smug Caroline.

"Let's talk about this in my study," Klaus said in a voice of authority.

"Becky…" Elena looked with hopeful eyes at her sister. "Save me," she whispered.

"No way. You had it coming," Rebekah said smirking, arms crossed on her chest.

"Last time," Elena said pouting.

"Nope."

"He listens to you…please," she pleaded.

"Honey," Klaus called her.

"Yeah," she replied looking at her brother.

"Come here," Klaus ordered. Elena looked at Caroline who was practically beaming.

"I am so going to regret this," he mumbled but Caroline elbowed him.

Once they were all seated. Klaus took a deep breath. "I was very disappointed by your behavior two days ago. You were never like this before. You always obeyed…What's gotten into you?" he said making a face.

"I am sorry," she instantly apologized. That's what she was taught her whole life.

"You were never rebellious and…"

"Just cut to the point Nick," Caroline said, bored.

"Let the man speak. He is our chief for a reason," Rebekah hissed at her.

"Who invited her?" Caroline spat.

"This is my brother's house I can come here whenever I want," Rebekah replied.

"This is my husband's house and I can ban you if I want to," Caroline replied.

"I fail to comprehend how you can continue to function on any level with an IQ that is three degrees below bullshit. I mean seriously…I knocked you out three times and you still have the guts to talk back to me…Are you stupid or just blonde?" Rebekah seethed.

"ENOUGH," Klaus shouted.

"BECKY…Apologize," he added.

"She started it," Rebekah pointed out.

"She was being mean," Caroline replied.

"Doesn't fucking matter…Caroline is my mate and every person must respect her as such or there will be consequences," Klaus ordered strictly. "And never threaten my mate again if you don't want a stake plunged into your heart," he added to Rebekah.

Elena noticed her nine-hundred-year-old sister cower under her brother's strict glare. That was Klaus's power. No one could defy him. He maintained strict discipline in their family. He was most powerful among them all. He was ruthless, cold and wouldn't let anyone get in the way of what he wanted. Everyone feared him.

"I am sorry," she apologized looking down.

"It's ok," Caroline replied checking her nails.

"Now as I was saying…Your attitude has been bothering me. Clan rules are for everyone, Honey. Being my sister doesn't give you any advantage. I know that you're tired of us ordering you around. But you should know that we only do what's best for our clan," he added.

"I know."

"I know it's unfair to you but you're young and you don't understand Clan politics," he said. "Becky says your rebellious attitude is because we have been keeping you locked up too much. I agree. Ever since your transformation we have been keeping you much too closed up. You're five years mature now. I think you can handle yourself now," Klaus added.

Elena couldn't believe her ears. She was going to be so mad if this turned out to be a dream.

"Becky here has made arrangements for your departure to North Carolina. You will be studying at Duke under Jenna's supervision…that part, your mother decided. " Klaus added.

"Oh My God," Elena beamed.

"I still think this is a bad idea," Kol interfered.

"Seconded," Klaus added.

"Screw you two," Elena added getting up hugging her sister. "Happy?" Rebekah answered, smirking.

"You have no idea," Elena replied.

"I chose Duke because boys there are very hot," Rebekah whispered in her ear and Elena smirked.

"I heard that," Klaus said making a face.

"Like you weren't a man-whore until you met me. Let the girl have some fun," Caroline elbowed him again.

"This calls for a celebration," Elena announced.

"I will bring us something to drink," Caroline said as she zoomed to the kitchen.

"I will put on some music," Rebekah shouted.

"I will pretend I am enjoying this," Kol added.

"Don't make me regret this Honey," Klaus said to Elena.

"I promise, I won't."

"You know about my plans for you, right?" he reminded Elena.

"I know…" she said nodding

"Here are the drinks," Caroline said as she zoomed back.

..

..

Damon was beyond angry by now. He had sent her numerous messages, left voicemails and he called her countless times and she still wouldn't reply. In his anger, he had even drained two girls. He would soon combust from anger and frustration if she didn't reply soon.

He had driven to her house and had found it empty as if no one lived there. He compelled a neighbor to know just about anything about his doe-eyed vampire's whereabouts but they claimed they haven't seen her or Jenna before in their lives. _Of course, the little minx had wiped their memories._ He thought.

He was on fire, desperate to see her again.

"Are you gonna keep moping after her?" Bonnie's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"She is not into you…She left her damn fucking house so you would leave her alone," Enzo added snickering and Damon bit his lower lip to restrain himself from snapping at him.

Damon didn't reply as he sipped from his wine glass. He felt anxious, as if some part of him was lost. "I tried this time. I thought she felt something too. Why is she doing this to me?" he growled throwing the glass on the fireplace.

"Don't do this," Bonnie said sighing.

The reasons for his silence could boil down to anything. Bonnie didn't like it. His silence never meant something good. He wasn't one to surrender. That girl disappeared on him making him even more consistent. He wasn't used to rejection especially after he tried so hard. That girl had captivated him. She had messed with his mind. He struggled to bring his anger under control. How could a mere five-year-old vampire turn him into an emotional and needy mess? With every passing second, he felt something inside him breaking.

"She isn't the only girl in the world…Let it go," she tried to comfort him.

"She is the girl that I want," he said gritting his teeth. And everyone knew he always got what he wanted.

"Bonnie can do a locator spell to find her," Enzo suggested and Damon groaned. Of course, the solution was so obvious but he hadn't been thinking rationally lately.

"Of course…so obvious," he said, sighing in relief. "Good thinking."

"We will need her essence though," Enzo added.

"I am not doing that," Bonnie said looking at both of them.

"Why not?" Damon asked his eyes narrowed.

"My powers are for defense of our clan not for harassing that poor defenseless girl who doesn't want anything to do with you," Bonnie replied.

"Watch it, Bon Bon," he warned her.

"No, I refuse to help you in this situation. You are on your own this time," Bonnie said as she retreated to her room.

She heard him curse under his breath before he zoomed in front of her.

"I am serious about her. Dead serious. She isn't a new game for me. I just want to talk to her one last time. I just wanna know why she won't give me a chance," he pleaded.

Bonnie eyed him suspiciously. Something in his eyes was different. He had never bothered to call back a woman let alone chase her like he was chasing this girl. He had too much pride and ego in him yet he continued to pursue this one girl who kept shooting him down.

"She is not one of your conquests?"

"She is not," he confirmed.

"And you will leave her alone if she doesn't feel the same?" she asked.

"I…I can't promise anything right now…Please…Just help me," he added. He was never one who could lie.

He never took rejection or failure very well and he hated it when someone defied his orders. In hindsight, telling him no wasn't a very smart move.

She nodded in agreement.

"I have her clothes in my closet. I will go get them," he said as he disappeared.

..

..

The music blared as the people danced constantly. She danced like a person without a care in the world, her knees swinging loosely from side to side. Caroline danced along with her. She was about to leave for Duke in a week. She couldn't be happier. She was finally getting enough freedom. Her mother was annoyed by Klaus's decision. She had even asked Michael to rethink about Klaus's decision. But Michael had full confidence in Klaus's decision.

The only problem in her life was the pissed off vampire who hadn't stopped calling or texting her. She had received a text from him last night telling her that she will be regretting her behavior soon and she better start working on her apology. Then he texted her that he would be taking her to some sort of Ball with him so she better be prepared. She wanted to talk to him. She really wanted to but she restrained herself from replying. It was better this way. She was finally getting her freedom. She wasn't risking that for an uncertain future.

It took Caroline about forever but she managed to convince Klaus to let them have a Girls outing and a shopping trip to Richmond before Elena leaves for Duke. Klaus volunteered to tag along but Caroline reminded him his promise of giving them their freedom. With a very heavy heart and a bucket full of instructions he let them go. They had been shopping all day. Blowing off steam in a high profile night club seemed a good idea. "I will get us some drinks," Elena shouted. Caroline nodded as she continued dancing to the beat.

Elena felt her phone buzz again. She took out her phone expecting it to be Klaus but found it was her pissed off vampire admirer instead. She ignored his call as usual as she ordered her drinks. Her phone vibrated again. This time the call was from an unknown number.

She narrowed her eyes and scanned the number before answering.

"Hello!"

"Finally," she heard the person on the other line sigh in contentmnt.

"Uhh…Damon?" she asked, alarmed.

"Why weren't you answering my calls?" he asked, annoyed.

As annoyed as she was by his persistence she somehow felt relieved after hearing his velvety voice.

"Damn not you again..." she huffed.

"You better have a good excuse for ignoring me for three days. You have no idea how annoyed and angry I am right now." He growled.

"Oh, I am sorry…Did you really think I owe you an explanation? Have I not made myself clear enough that I don't want to talk to you? And what's with the calls? Damon. Hey here's a hint. If I didn't answer your calls the first 25 times, what made you think I will answer the next 25 times?" she hissed back.

She heard him chuckle.

"God! I missed this. I missed your voice. I missed your little cute fights. I missed you a lot, Baby Vamp," he replied.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Why are you bothering me? I don't want to listen to you and your stupid nonsense. I have better things to do," she said rolling her eyes.

"Where are you?" he asked in a voice full of authority.

"None of your business," she hissed.

"Don't piss me off today, I'm running out of places to hide bodies," he replied in a strict tone. "Now where are you?" he asked again.

"I am out of state and I am very busy right now," she lied through her teeth.

"You don't look too busy to me," Soft murmuring voices danced within her brain. A strong pair of arms snaked around her waist and tied themselves around her stomach. The hands untied and one hand gave her hair a comb through with his fingers. Before he took a deep breath, inhaling her scent as his other hand caressed her flat belly. She felt her heart skip a beat as she recognized his scent.

Spinning around, she came face to face with the devil himself, his handsome face inches from her. Before she could register the shock of seeing him, he dove in and captured her lips in a searing kiss that made her weak in her knees. Before she could kiss him, he pulled back.

"I had a really crappy day…I needed that," he said as if that was their usual routine.

"What? How the…? How did you find me?" she asked, shocked.

"Simple locator spell by our witch. I would've found you sooner but the damn lunar eclipse blocked her powers…Anyway…You better start apologizing for disappearing on me. I am very pissed at you," he said snaking his arms across her waist and pushing her closer to his chest.

"Are you deranged or something? What part of I don't want to see you again don't you understand?"

"Every fucking part of it. Now let's go," he said as he unlocked his arms from around her.

"What? Where?"

"I did mention that You will be going as my date to the annual ball with me…" he reminded her holding her wrist.

"And I never agreed to go with you," she hissed back.

"Well! You don't have a choice," he replied as he dragged her with him effortlessly.

"Let me go," she said yanking her wrist away. She saw him rolling his eyes.

"Don't create a scene here, Baby Vamp," he warned.

"What is your fucking problem?" she said harshly as she picked up her drink from the counter.

"Baby Vamp, we are already very late…not to mention that you still need to get ready," he said, his hands in the pocket of his jeans.

"Are you even listening to me? I said no. I can't go with you. I can't be with you." she hissed through the music.

He stepped closer to her, taking her drink from her. "Why?"

"Because…I said so."

"You don't know what you're missing, Baby vamp," he said smirking.

She rolled her eyes as if she couldn't stand the sight of him. That hurt a little bit. Why was she being like this?

"I know that you feel it too, Elena. Stop fighting it…We have something. Stop running away from me," he said caressing her cheek. She almost leaned into his touch. Almost.

"Oh my God…What's your problem? Damon. Stop following me around. I don't have any sort of feelings. You know what I think about you? I think you're a complete idiot for thinking I could ever harbor feelings for a guy like you. This pathetic attempt of yours to make me your conquest isn't gonna work on me. Leave me the hell alone," she said as she took her drink back from his hands. Ignoring his pain stricken eyes she rushed past him.

She was lying, of course. There was something about him that pulled her to him. In the brief amount of time she spent with him she had lived a whole life. She had laughed with him, talked with him and fought with him. He made her feel alive. Denying any sort of feelings for him was a complete lie. She did feel something for him. Something which was getting stronger every second.

But that's what scared her the most. They weren't meant to ever meet. They were designed to hate each other. With every passing second, he was growing on her and she didn't like the fact one bit. She had to put a stop to it before it got out of hand. She was a vampire after all. Every emotion she felt was overwhelming.

Without caring, there were humans around he zoomed in front of her.

"You don't feel anything for me?" he asked, his face serious for the first time.

She sipped from her drink carelessly and smirked. "Yes…I don't."

He nodded his head in deep thought. "Okay…" he breathed and held a girl's wrist passing by them "Hey there, pretty girl. What's your name?" he asked, his eyes boring into hers and Elena knew he was compelling her.

"Cherry."

"Cherry…Can you help me prove a point here? This is my girl. She says she doesn't have feelings for me. Can you help me prove it to her that she does?"

"What are you doing? Damon," Elena asked, cautiously.

"I am gonna kiss the girl and if you can watch me make out with her for a minute I will never bother you ever again," he said his eyes still on the girl.

She barely registered what he said before he crashed his lips on the girls. Elena was taken aback. What was happening? And before she could even realize what was happening she felt a sudden fire inside her. Clenching her wrist, her chest heaved as she looked at them. She felt grief. She felt pain. She wanted to rip that girl away from him. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. She spun around and rushed outside the club totally forgetting about her sister in law.

"Not even ten seconds," she heard his smug voice as he was right behind her.

"Leave me alone."

"Are we still playing this game?" he asked, wearily.

"You're an asshole," she said spinning around.

"And YOU are very observant," he replied smugly.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, exhausted. Strangely she felt the energy drain from her body.

"Accept it," he said stepping closer to her, smiling.

"And if I don't?"

"You're not going anywhere until you do," he said with taking a step toward her, she stepped back reflexively, cowering under his intense gaze.

"There are no feelings."

"You can lie to me all you want. You can pretend to hate me. You can hit me, scream at me or warn me to stay away from you but you can't control your heartbeat, Elena. Your heart skipped a beat when you heard my voice today, Baby Vamp. I get it…you're scared. I am too. I'm painfully aware of how much power you have over me _."_ He stopped holding her wrists and brought them close to his chest.

 _"_ And it scares the shit out of me but I won't deny my feelings for you. I want to be under you, I want to be near you, I want to hold you. I want to be the only person on your mind all day just like you have been on mine. I want to own your heart. And these feelings are driving me mad because I was never that type…" he stopped.

"Damon…This is all very sweet but I…"

"Just accept it."

"Yes…Okay…Fine! Yes, I do feel something but I am really sorry…I can't. We can't," she said yanking her wrists away but not harshly. "You're an amazing person. You make me feel alive and you deserve all the happiness in the world but we…we can't happen. This is just not meant to be. I am sorry," she said bending down kissing his cheek once.

He closed his eyes feeling great reprieve at the contact. She made a move to rush past him but he held her wrist.

"This is not over yet. I don't know what your problem is but I am gonna fight for us" he said softly. She was about to yank her hand away and yell at him when she felt dizzy.

He was holding her arms the next second looking at her. "I…I don't feel too well," she said as her vision became hazy.

"Must be the vervain finally kicking in," he said with a chuckle.

"What?" she looked horrified. "What vervain?"

"I am not a quitter, Baby Vamp. When I want something I get it. Especially after you just admitted your feelings for me, do you really think I will let you go that easily just with that pathetic speech?" he said with a slight hint of amusement in his tone.

"What vervain?"

"The vervain in your drink," he said with a smug smile. "Our witch however made it undetectable with her witchy juju…"

She briefly remembered him taking the drink from her. That bastard must have planned that all along. He was never the one who played fair. She should have known better.

She felt her vision becoming distorted. She vamped out, snarling at him one last time before blackness took over her vision. She fell limp.

"That was too easy," he said, smirking as he picked her up in his arms.

..

..

Silk sheets, warm blankets, and a luxurious room. _Where am I?_ Elena thought as she got up. This definitely wasn't her or any of her siblings' houses. That's when flashes of her encounter with her crazy vampire admirer came before her eyes. "Oh No," she groaned in annoyance. She was back at his house. She was back at the forbidden area. The Ripper's Mystic Falls.

"About time...I was getting worried you would make us even later than we already are," she heard his voice before he flashed in front of her fully dressed in black tux giving him an elegant and luxurious impression. His appearance alone was seductive. _Focus, Elena._ Her mind screamed at her.

"You sick, disgusting, unhinged monster. How dare you?" she growled.

"It was easy," he replied as if her anger wasn't much of a big deal. This angered her. She vamped out growling at him. He smirked, looking amused. With a roar, she launched at him. Almost lazily he grabbed her wrists and slammed her to the wall behind him, pressing himself against her. Pinning her wrists to either side of her head, he vamped out. His teeth spurt out. Elena thrashed against him to release herself. She stopped immediately when his mouth angled at her neck as if he was going to bite her.

His face became normal again. "And poof…you're dead," he said pecking her neck with a kiss before looking up. "We really need to work on your defense mechanism." He added in a concerned tone.

"We also need to work on you keeping your hands to yourself," she hissed before she pushed him off her.

"You started it," he said as his hands rose in the air.

"What the hell am I doing here? Damon," she hissed at him.

He walked over to the dresser and started styling his hair. "I told you. You're my date at the annual ball. Your dress is in my closet. You don't need to put on a shit load of makeup. You already look like a ravishing goddess…just change and let's go. We are already an hour late for the event." He said as he ran his fingers through his hair to style it in a rough way that he knew she liked.

"Are you mentally abnormal? Or something?" she growled.

"Gee, first my therapist, and now you..." he replied chuckling.

"This is kidnapping," she said somewhat in disbelief.

"That's a little melodramatic. Don't you think," he said wiggling his brows.

"How long was I knocked out?" she said not bothering to continue their argument. She could never win. The man was infuriatingly stubborn.

"Merely thirty minutes," he replied.

"Oh God," she groaned. She had promised her brother that she wouldn't ever disobey her clan rules again. She just got limited freedom that she wasn't going to give up. Not to mention the relationship between the two clans was more strained than it already had been these days after Jerome's death.

She stuffed her hand in her jeans pocket. "Looking for this," she heard him. Her eyes shot up to him. He was holding her phone in his hand, smirking.

"Damon, give it back," she growled at him. She zoomed in front of him and tried to snatch it from him.

"Not until you go with me," he replied holding it above her head.

"No."

"Then, I am not giving back your phone and I won't allow you to leave."

"Allow me? Excuse me! No one is asking you for your permission," she said frowning.

"This house is filled with vampires over a century old…you really shouldn't mess with me if you know what's good for you," he replied in a bored tone.

"Damon, give me back my phone."

"Not until you agree to go with me as my date to the Ball," he replied.

She gritted her teeth in frustration. Caroline would be worried. She needed to get in touch with her. "Ok…fine," she submitted.

"Now, was that too hard?" he replied handing her phone to her.

She switched on her phone and her phone beeped repeatedly showing her notifications of missed calls and messages. Caroline was panicking after her disappearance. She knew calling would be dangerous. So she walked toward the bed and texted her friend.

 **"I am okay. The ripper vervained me. I'm at their side of Mystic Falls but don't worry I will negotiate a way out. Do not call Nick-Elena."**

Caroline replied instantly. **"What? How the hell did he find us? Does he know?-Care."**

 **"Long story. No, he doesn't-Elena"**

 **"Honey, you need to come back now. Nick told us to be back before midnight-Care."**

 **"Wait-Elena."**

She looked at the very smug vampire staring at her intently. "I need to go," she pleaded.

"No," he flat out refused.

"Please, Damon. You don't understand…I can't be here." She pleaded.

He looked slightly taken aback by her lack of fight. "I will let you go on three conditions,"

"Damon…" she sighed in frustration.

"One, you will answer my calls from now and you won't disappear on me," he said in a voice full of authority.

"Ok…fine. I won't. I will answer your calls and I won't disappear on you,"

"Two, you will go to the ball with me as my date and you will behave" he said stepping toward her.

"I can't go to the ball with you. I really need to go back," she said shaking her head.

"Two hours. I just need two hours," he said, almost pleading. "I will drop you where you want, afterwards," he offered. _Like that will help._ She thought.

"Okay…Two hours," she agreed. She didn't have a choice.

"Three, You will meet me whenever I ask you to and I will need a kiss after…"

His words died in his mouth when she crashed her lips on his. Cupping his face, she pushed him against the wall and kissed him forcefully. He replied with as much fervor. He was never the one for submissive positions. He always had to be in control. He flipped them so now she was against the wall, kissing her intently, his hands on her waist.

"After the ball…" he said against her mouth once they separated.

She glared at his smirking face. Was he always this smug and scheming?

"It's not my fault. You didn't let me finish…but hey I am not complaining," he said smugly.

"Fine…but you will drive me back to Richmond after this…Right?" she asked looking up at him.

"You live in Richmond now?" he said, frowning.

She pushed him off her and walked toward his closet. "Not that it's any of your business but no. I am staying with a friend," she replied not looking directly at him. She lied again. She hated herself for that.

"I will get it out of you," he said more to himself than her.

She shook her head and sighed.

"You didn't say yes to my third condition yet?" he added looking at her.

"Okay, but you will drop me at the highway no questions asked," she demanded.

He bit his lip for a second as if in deep thought but then he nodded. "Okay…"

She opened his dresser and took out the only dress in between his suits. "You always get your way…Don't you?" she asked, annoyed.

"I do," he replied smugly.

She sighed in disbelief. Shaking him off would be more difficult than she thought. She had been sure his chapter in her life was closed for good. But she had been wrong. This was just the beginning.

..

..

 _Chapter edited by Alta Beron. Thank you so much :)_

 _Review?_


	7. You're the one I want for life

**Chapter 6: 'You're the one I want for life'**

* * *

"Just give me two hours… I'll meet you near the first round-about on the highway," Elena said to Caroline as she styled her hair with the cosmetics she was provided by the witch, Bonnie.

"Nick has been calling like nonstop. What do I tell him?" Caroline replied, panicked.

"Tell him…we found some old friends and we will be running late because of them," Elena said as she struggled with the roller.

"Miss Gilbert! Mr. Salvatore asked me to tell you to hurry up," A girl said mechanically as she entered the washroom.

Elena huffed in annoyance. "Tell him that I will kick his ass if he didn't stop pestering me to hurry up," she hissed back and she heard Caroline gasp. From a little distance, she could hear Damon chuckle.

"Tell her that if she doesn't stop talking about my ass I will come up and make sweet sweet love to her ass." She heard him reply.

"Screw you," she shouted back, flushed.

"I know you will…eventually," he replied, playfully.

She nearly shouted in frustration.

"Wow!" she heard Caroline say with a chuckle.

"What?" Elena hissed at Caroline.

"You fight like an old married couple," Caroline replied with a giggle.

"God forbid…If I ever married a man who is even half as stubborn and annoying as this guy is I will dig myself a grave and stake myself," Elena replied, horrified by the very thought.

"What was that?" she heard Damon shout. He obviously was trying his best to pry in on her conversation.

Elena opened the taps so he wouldn't hear her conversation. "Just give me ten minutes," Elena said to the girl and then focused on her conversation with her sister in law.

"Care! He won't let me go if I don't go to the Annual Ball with him. That man is infuriatingly stubborn. Be there at the first round-about on the highway near midnight," she instructed her friend.

"Okay but please...please...be there on time. I can't cover for you long enough. Your brother always keeps tabs on my emotions. I am trying my best to remain calm but you're with a ripper who is crazy about you and won't leave you alone and this is scary because your family would kill him and us if they ever…" she was cut off by Elena's hiss.

"Sheesh! Shut up…He won't. No one will find out about this. Just stay calm." Elena whispered.

"But the ripper won't leave you alone." Caroline was almost on the verge of tears.

"We will figure something out. I gotta go now," Elena replied.

"Okay. Stay safe" she replied.

She hurriedly took out mascara from her clutch and applied a double coating on her upper eyelash before she closed the tube and stuffed it into her clutch.

She checked herself one last time. If Damon bought this dress for her then that means he was one hell of an exhibitionist. Her dress looked extremely expensive. She was wearing a black ball gown with a sleeveless beaded lace top and a long flowy tutu tulle skirt. She had styled her hair in soft textured curls flowing down her back. Tucking her hair to one side she went outside.

She lifted her dress up as the girl outside helped her with her heels. Thank goodness for Miss Mystic Falls preparation or she would have never been able to walk in high heels.

"Thank you," she said kindly to the girl who helped her.

"You're looking very beautiful," the girl complemented.

Elena smiled at her. She held her skirt as she walked carefully out of the room.

"Let's go," she said as she came out of his room.

Damon was busy texting someone. "About time! I was just wondering. Were you planning to get ready in this century? I mean seriously even my brother doesn't take this much time when getting ready and he…Oh God…" Whatever snarky comment he was about to say got stuck in his throat as soon as he laid his eyes on her.

His eyes roamed over her body from her hair to her toes appreciatively in a dazed state. Elena flushed slightly from his intense gaze. She was used to attention by men but never in her life has someone looked at her like she was the only thing in the world and nothing else mattered.

She wasn't perfect. But it was her imperfections that made her perfect. There was a slight hesitation and shyness in the way she walked towards him. The black sheer fabric of the dress touched her skin sensually and he was partly envious of it for touching her. Her skin was like silk or glass. Her long and wavy hair was perfectly styled even in such a brief time. But what captured him were her eyes. Her eyes were alluring. They held shyness, purity and were so full of emotions _. God, I love her eyes_. He thought.

She coughed slightly snapping him out of his thoughts.

"If Gods are real then you are their masterpiece," he complimented. "And I am not playing you…I really mean it. This is my inner artist speaking," he added before she could retort with a snarky reply.

There was a glow around her as if angels were surrounding her and not because she was beautiful but because she was so innocent, pure and holy.

Even after being a vampire she had never harmed anyone like he or other vampires did. Her purity was her halo. _She would be the most beautiful woman there, and she would be there, beside me and only me, and I would feel so proud._ He thought with a passionate pang as his eyes roamed her fragile figure.

"Your inner artist has his way with words," she replied blushing slightly.

A smile crept on his face as he scanned her again memorizing each and every part of her so he could draw her later. This was a sight he never wanted to forget.

She coughed loudly again. "Weren't we getting late?" she asked.

"Huh…" he said as his brows furrowed "Oh yeah…Let's go." He said as he offered his hand to her. She looked hesitant but she placed her hand on his.

..

..

He stole a glance of Elena when she wasn't looking. She was looking out the window of the car as he raced the car toward the town square. She looked tense. He didn't like that slight frown on her face. Why was she tense? What could cause his beautiful doe-eyed vampire to be so stressed?

"Fourth condition, you gotta smile all the time," he said snapping her out of her thoughts.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"I said smile not roll your eyes and pretend like I am annoying you," he said frowning.

"I am not pretending. You are annoying me," she retorted.

"Cut the crap, Baby Vamp. You just admitted an hour ago that you do have feelings for me. Stop with hard-to-get games," he said in a slightly smug tone.

She narrowed her eyes. "That was before you vervained me and kidnapped me and forced me to go to a public event with you."

"You say it like it's wrong to be seen in public with me," he said in a somewhat hurt tone.

"You say it like it isn't," she replied.

"Why are you being like this? Baby Vamp. I don't know what I did to deserve this treatment. What am I doing wrong? Elena. Just tell me I will try to change it," he said in a vulnerable tone.

He didn't like to show his vulnerable side to anyone. People always seemed to take advantage of that. But he wanted to show her that he was indeed serious about her. Ugh! Never in his life had he thought his bad boy image would catch up with him like this. He was used to girls chasing him. Karma had caught up with him and now the girl that he wanted didn't believe he had good intentions with her and was shooting him down…repeatedly. This sucked because he genuinely liked her. In fact, it felt like he was falling for her.

"Is it because you're scared that I will force you into mating bond with me?" he asked and he noticed her flinch.

Shit. She was one of those female vampires who didn't approve of mating bonds. Shit. Shit. Seven billion people on earth and he fell for a commitment phobe. Serves him right for being a dick for a century and a half. He internally growled. But he kept his cool outside.

She didn't reply so he took that as a yes.

"Elena, I promise you. I won't ever force you into something you don't want" he said earnestly making Elena weak in knees with his soft voice.

She tried to regain her composure.

"HAHA…That's a little heavy talk after you forced me to go on a date with you and then you kidnapped me when I refused to go to the ball with you," she said with a little giggle.

Even though it hurt a little bit that she didn't believe him he still laughed with her. He couldn't help it. He couldn't stop himself when she laughed. It was a reflex action. She was happy…he was happy. This was strange, considering he only met her a week and a half ago. Then again, he was a vampire. He felt overwhelming emotions.

"That doesn't count," he said, seriously after a minute.

"How so?"

"You want this. You want this as much as I do. You're just scared to go after what you want. I am not though. When you have been living for over a century you know better than to deny yourself something that means so much to you." he replied softly.

"That's why I am here. Until you're ready, I will fight for both of us alone," he replied in a determined tone.

"You don't give up easily. Do you?" she said sighing.

He halted the car in the parking lot and looked at her. "Nope…I don't. I know we just met and everything, but I just wanted to let you know that I am going to try really hard to make something big out of this. You can't get rid of me so easily. I want you, Elena! I have to have you! I will stop at nothing to get you." He said seriously holding her wrist _. You're mine. You'll always be mine._ He added in his mind.

"You're out of your mind," she said yanking her wrist away.

"I am serious, Elena," he added.

"Sure you are," she replied dismissing his statement and before she could open her door, he vamp sped to her side and held the door open for her.

She hopped out of the car.

"Now, Baby Vamp! I know that we have this old married couple kinda thing going on here but everyone else respects me here so try to uh…behave," he said as he offered her his arm.

He noticed her visibly flinch at the married couple jibe. She nodded without a fight to his complete surprise. Her delicate fingers held his arm tightly as they walked through the doors to the huge hall.

Elena's heart beat frantically as they entered the grand hall where the ball was being held. She had been through countless big events but this time she was not going to be with her family. She was here with the enemy. An enemy who was crazy about her. She highly doubted someone would recognize her. Anyone whose alliance was with Rippers weren't on her family's friend list.

A girl came forward and took the wrap she had used to cover her bare shoulders. She smiled as she fixed her gloves. Her eyes darted to Damon who looked at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. She held his arm as they moved forward.

"What?" she asked when she felt his eyes on her.

He shook his head looking away, smiling slightly. She shrugged and looked around the hall. Damon watched her eyes go wide in awe as her eyes roamed the hall decorations. A smile came on her face. He smiled reflexively enjoying her reactions. He was fascinated by her every move. Mostly her eyes. The way her eyes couldn't hide anything. He could easily read every emotion. Awe, adoration, and happiness. She was happy here, with him and he couldn't remember being happier.

Her eyes darted to him and they narrowed. "No…seriously. Take a picture. I will sign it for you," she snapped at him for staring at her.

"I was thinking more of a nude photo shoot?" he retorted, his eyes sparkling at the very thought. She looked taken aback. He grinned as he saw her face redden at his crude suggestion. He loved it when she got angry. A sick part of him felt immensely turned on whenever she got angry. He didn't know what he loved the most, her shyness at his crude comments, the taken aback expression or her fighting back with him.

"You are really vulgar," she said scowling.

He chuckled, biting his lip. He bent down and whispered seductively in her ear "That's not vulgar. This is vulgar. Elena, I want to fuck your brains out until you scream my name. I want to fuck you till you can't walk…" he trailed off when he heard her hiss.

He pulled back to see her expressions. Elena could feel the heat growing in her cheeks. She suddenly felt tongue-tied, demure, and as if he had set her on fire. She gasped audibly.

She looked horror-struck. He studied her expression before he burst out laughing, he quickly brought it under control before he started laughing again. He loved how utterly innocent she was. He clasped his palms against his mouth to stop himself from laughing at her appalled expression as she glared at him.

"If it weren't for so many people over here, I would have slapped you. I already knew that you're an asshole but now I know that you're not just an asshole. You are a disrespectful asshole who doesn't know how to talk to a woman. I know that it's been a while seeing that you're over a century old but hasn't your mother taught you anything at all?" she hissed and she looked at him as if he was something repulsive.

That hurt a little bit. He was just messing with her. But he blocked all the hurt. He had been called worse. He kept a cool posture and shrugged. "She died after giving birth to my brother. I was only two back then. She never got a chance to teach me anything," he said coolly.

An embarrassed and worried look crossed Elena's face. She nearly face palmed. Of course, his mother wasn't alive. What was she thinking? How could she so insensitively bring someone's dead mother up like that?

"I am so sorry," she replied immediately turning to face him as she held his hand. Her eyes bore into his. "I didn't mean it like that," she said softly. "I didn't mean to disrespect your mother or you…That was very low of me. I am really sorry for what I said," she added, earnestly.

He looked stunned by her concern. She genuinely looked upset for hurting his feelings. Both of her hands caressed his hand as she apologized to him.

" **That** caught your attention?" he said in an amused tone. "Baby vamp, my mother died like a long ass time ago…I don't even remember her," he said with a slight chuckle. "I am still sorry for my insensitive comment," she said sincerely.

"Don't be," he replied immediately bringing her knuckles to his lips. She yanked her knuckles away before his lips could make contact with her skin.

She spun around walking toward the drinks table.

"Baby Vamp!" he said, hot on her heels.

"What?" she asked, sighing.

"I have a list of relatives that died over the century. Some of which I drained myself. I need sympathy for those losses too," he demanded as he came in front of her, smirking.

She looked at him in disbelief and shook her head. "You know what? You're a dick," she said frowning.

"Ohh…mentioning " _it_ " huh…Why you interested?" he said, giving her his devilish smile.

She opened her mouth to argue but then shut it again. "I give up," she said as she moved past him. "I can't win," she added as she took a drink.

"Finally…you're here." She heard another familiar male voice. She spun around and watched the blonde vampire meet Damon.

She knew the vampire. He was Damon's brother. "Took my girl hours to get ready," Damon replied to his brother.

"Your girl?" Stefan said incredulously.

"My girl," Damon confirmed, frowning.

"I doubt that," Stefan replied with a chuckle. "Won't you introduce me to her?" Stefan said eyeing her with interest.

Damon narrowed his eyes but then nodded. "Baby Vamp, I would like you to meet my brother, officially. This is Stefan Salvatore. Stefan, this is Elena Gilbert." Damon introduced them.

"Pleased to meet you," Elena said smiling offering him her gloved hand.

"Pleasure is all mine," Stefan replied with a soft smile.

"I know this may sound weird but I think you're the most beautiful girl in the room tonight." Stefan complemented.

Elena smiled back. "Ahh…Thank you."

"Really…your eyes are breathtaking," he added.

"Stefan…A word?" Damon said with a grim look.

"Gorgeous. A word for you is gorgeous." Stefan said looking at a very flushed Elena.

"Haha…no seriously. We need to talk." Damon said with dead seriousness. "Wait here! Baby Vamp," he said strictly as he dragged his brother to the side.

The green-eyed monster had taken over him. He watched his brother playfully complement her in front of him. This would be okay with him if she didn't blush at Stefan's compliments like she was liking it. His heart had suddenly gone into his mouth, he grew furiously jealous, a jealousy such as he had no idea of, a jealousy which made his blood boil. He had been jealous numerous times before in his life but this was something else. This was a complete rage.

"What the hell was that?" he asked a very amused Stefan.

"What? She doesn't like you anyway. I think I have a shot with her." He said looking at Elena over his shoulder.

"No. No. Over my fucking dead body," he said appalled by the thought.

Stefan let out a chuckle. "Relax! I was just kidding. God! You really like this one. Don't you?" Stefan asked, pensively.

Damon made a face but thought it was best to clear everything with his brother.

"Yeah and you better back the fuck off. That girl is mine. All mine. If you are looking for some action or fun. Find someone else," Damon warned.

"Okay…Okay," Stefan replied, his hands rose in surrender.

"Years of stealing girls from Enzo and I…huh…this is going to be fun," Stefan added jokingly just when Damon was about to leave.

"I am not kidding Stefan. I like this girl. No one is going to mess with her or there will be consequences," he said in his serious chief tone. He had to make it clear.

Stefan nodded in agreement.

Damon glared at his brother before he went back to his doe-eyed vampire.

"Warning him off?" Elena asked sipping from her glass.

Damon smirked slightly before he circled his arms around her waist. "I don't need to warn him. He knows you are mine, and that if he touches you, I'm going to remove his spine through his throat." He replied.

"Hands off," she warned him.

He smirked pulling her closer. "Or what?"

"I use to be a cheerleader. I know exactly what to do," she hissed through her teeth.

"Chief" A voice grasped their attention. He unlocked his arms around her and plastered a fake smile on his face.

"Mr. Bennett," he greeted.

"We were wondering when you would arrive," he said shaking hands with him.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world," Damon replied.

"And who is this young lady?" he asked eyeing Elena.

"This is Elena Gilbert, my date, and Elena; this is Mr. Bennett a very powerful spell caster of the Bennett clan. I told you about them, right?" he said looking at her.

She nodded. "I am honored to meet you. I've heard so much about you," Elena said as she offered him her hand. She wasn't lying. She did hear a lot about him. Not good stuff though. He was one of the enemies her family despised the most.

The man's penetrating eyes scanned her before he kissed her gloved knuckle. "Likewise," he replied.

"This is the young vampire that accidentally came to our territory last week," he inquired.

"Yes, but she is harmless…" Damon defended her, his voice full of authority.

The man nodded and smiled at Elena. The next half hour a lot of people came to greet them and she saw a completely different face of Damon Salvatore.

He oozed of authority and his personality demanded respect. He was a natural born leader. Maybe it was his power or his strictness that made the others respect him...or fear him. She figured out that he ruled with an iron fist, whatever he said went. It wasn't like he was cruel. His clan seemed to genuinely respect him. He was wise and strong, she knew. Or he wouldn't have survived being an enemy to a powerful clan like hers. He held the power like Klaus held power over their clan.

What surprised her was his behavior with her. Other than being strict with her the first time he had always been playful with her. She had disrespected him numerous times and he always took her jibs and snarky comments in good humor and almost never got offended. This was strange seeing as everyone else was cowed by his intense stare.

She gulped. This wasn't going to end well for her. No, she was far too stuck.

Her gaze went to dancers, waltzing grandly around the room.

"Baby Vamp!" he snapped her out of her daze. She looked at him.

"Meet my friends. Bonnie Bennett and Enzo Johns," he introduced two very familiar faces.

"And this is Elena Gilbert, the lucky girl who has the honor to be my date tonight," he said smugly.

"Our sympathies," Enzo said shaking her hand.

"Really nice to see you again…" Bonnie added. "We didn't start on a good note but I hope we could start over," she added.

"You should. You're gonna see a lot more of her in future," Damon added earning a glare from Elena.

"I just want to know how you people managed to live with this psycho for so long and not stake him in his sleep," Elena asked sweetly but with venom in her tone.

Both Bonnie and Enzo looked shocked. Their eyes darted to their chief to look for any signs of displeasure by Elena's tone and her statement. Damon, however, was looking amused.

"Go on. Tell her the secret. She will need it a lot since she is going to be the one I am going to annoy the most," Damon argued playfully.

"Ummm…He isn't that bad," Bonnie replied with slight discomfort and surprise.

"Are you kidding me? It's taking everything in me to stop myself from staking him right this second…hand off my hip now or I will pull your arm out," Elena said under her breath, glaring at him as she felt his hands linger to her lower back.

He smirked. "Do your worst," he challenged her, his hand still on her back.

Enzo snickered. "I see why you dig her…you always liked the hard-changing and take no shit type," he said.

His friend was right. He believed that the most vivacious, interesting, graceful women are always the same ones who can turn sassy and difficult at a moment's notice. Elena was all of that. She was shy and conservative one minute and fire and sassy the next.

"You do know how to dance right?" Damon interrupted before she could reply.

"Really?" Elena said looking offended. "I was trained by professionals," she said as she took his arm.

"Why so?"

"A pageant my mum forced me to participate in," she replied as if annoyed.

"Beauty pageant?" he asked as he led them to the dance floor. The dynamic of their relationship was different. They could be acting like best friends one minute and down each other's throats the other. They had a weird understanding.

"You're a grown up woman. No one can force you to do anything you don't want to," he said frowning.

"She doesn't understand that," Elena replied looking away.

"I will have a talk with Jenna about this. No one can force you into anything you don't like," he said sternly.

Elena's mouth fell open. "Uh…Ah…No. It's okay," she said hesitantly. She wasn't talking about Jenna. She had forgotten for a moment that Damon wasn't aware of her overly controlling family.

"No, Elena. I can see you're upset. I would talk to her. She has no right to make you do something you don't want," he said shaking his head. "Even though I know other women at the pageant won't stand a chance against you but still you should stand up for yourself. Don't make yourself miserable for someone else's happiness. Fight back like you fight with me," he said as he moved to take her in his arms. Her gaze dropped as his hand positioned on her lower back.

Her fingers laced with his as her other hand crept to his shoulder. She lifted her gaze to his. He was smiling at her nervousness and shyness. This is what he adored about her. She was fire one minute and so shy the next. He steered her slowly into the inner circle.

"Don't worry. Just follow my lead and you will be fine," he whispered.

"You must be an expert at this?" she asked looking up at his handsome face. He looked smug as he nodded. "And why wouldn't you be? Since they invented this dance in your original time," she replied cheekily.

"Must you take a jibe at my age?" he said, narrowing his eyes.

"Couldn't help it," she replied with a slight giggle as he spun her.

"I will get back at you once you are over a century," he replied as he yanked her closer.

"I don't think I will bother to be acquaintances with you for that long," she retorted.

"Like I said. You're mine…I will be in your life as long as we are both alive," he replied as he pulled her right hand and spun her on the correct beat.

"Stake me now," she said sighing in fake annoyance hiding her blush.

"Nay…I like you too much," he said as his hands reclaimed their positions on her body.

She stepped on his foot deliberately making him wince before he pulled her closer. "Apologize!" he demanded.

"No…"

"You know this fiery attitude of yours turns me on so much…Gentlemanly behavior be damned. I wanna take you right here," he said lewdly making her blush at his crudeness.

"Behave yourself," she warned him.

"I can't help it. I am trying to think about anything but how you will look after I have my way with you. Your flushed cheeks, your hair fanned over my pillow" he whispered seductively and enjoyed the view of her crimson cheeks and widened eyes.

"I want to rip your clothes off right here," he added and her heart skipped a beat.

" Wait... what?" she said appalled by his intense gaze. His hold on her waist tightened.

"And do dirty things to you every second of every day." He completed.

She gulped audibly unable to form any type of response. His intense blue eyes bore into hers. She couldn't find the ability to look away let alone tell him off. He smirked slightly.

"I know this may sound cheesy, but I really am feeling something very strong for you and I don't want to rush. I want something more…something big. I'm saying this because I want to be clear to you about what I want from you," he said, almost shyly.

Shyness wasn't his gig. He didn't know what got him to say that. But the moment he said it he knew this was what he wanted.

"I don't know what to say," she said looking down. She should refuse. She knew that. She couldn't take any chance with him. He was forbidden territory. No matter how attractive or appealing he was.

"Think about it. Take your time. I don't need an answer right now. But you should know that I need more. I want more of you." he said moving slowly in circles with her according to the beat.

She didn't know what took over her as she nodded. "I will think about it," she replied and she heard his heart skip a beat even though he tried to hide how happy he was after what she said.

There was a pull she felt to him. He was snarky, decent and really attractive. He could be a gentleman one second and an asshole the next second. He was socially powerful, fun, a leader, secure in himself, had a dangerously high self-esteem with a stubbornness level matching hers. Unlike her, he wasn't afraid of going after what he wanted. He knew how to live life fully. While she never got a chance to live hers even partially. In some ways, she wanted to be like him. This was wrong. He was shaking her carefully guided world to the core.

Damon was simply fascinated by her. He couldn't take his eyes off her as he steered her around the dance floor. He had never met anyone like Elena Gilbert. She was a mystery in herself. She was simply enchanting and the thought of her not in his life or never seeing her again caused a physical pain in his chest. His gaze never left her as he twirled her around.

They never realized when people started to leave the dance floor for dinner as they kept talking and dancing. They continued talking just about anything.

"Titanic mummy curse doesn't exist," she rejected his statement. He had no idea how his conversation from what was her favorite movie had changed to the Titanic mummy curse.

"I traveled back in the forties for a while…to Italy. There was this festival in those times. There was this person who told me all about it. Rumors were that there was this cursed mummy of the priestess of Amun that had been brought to England. It had the mysterious power of breaking nearby objects and causing trouble with its dark, scary magic. Eventually, according to legend, this mummy ended up on board the _Titanic_ and disaster struck…" Damon explained.

"But what really happened?" she asked, excitedly.

"Rumor obviously. There was this man who claimed he owned that mummy. Fucking liar though. I compelled it out of him. He had never even seen a mummy in his life," Damon replied and she laughed at his annoyed face. "Complete waste of my time," he added.

He was about to continue when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"May I cut in?" Stefan interfered.

"No, you may not," Damon replied, annoyed by the interruption.

"You have had her for more than half an hour now…" Stefan informed.

"So?"

"It's okay…I don't mind," she said as she offered her hand to his brother. He didn't like the idea one bit but he didn't want to create a scene so he backed off.

He went back and stood by his friends.

Stefan spun her expertly on the dance floor.

"My brother really likes you, Elena," he started the conversation.

"I can see that," Elena replied chuckling.

"I have never seen him try so hard for a woman not even…" he stopped and then twirled her once before bringing her closer, his hands on her waist as he smiled at her.

"Like I was saying he has got it bad for you. He was very upset when you didn't answer his calls." Stefan informed her.

"Uhh…I have some issues," Elena tried to make up an excuse.

"We don't have very good experiences when it comes to women, Elena. We have been deceived and we nearly lost our lives and sanity," Stefan continued.

"I don't know what that has to do with me," Elena said frowning.

"Keep smiling please," Stefan requested.

Elena tried to smile.

"Look, Elena, I don't know why he is so infatuated by you but I want to warn you. You will cause yourself great damage if you have even slightly less than good intentions toward my brother and my clan. I will personally make it my mission to hunt you down and kill you like a rabid dog. Let it be duly noted that I am very serious about this," Stefan whispered slowly making her skin crawl.

"Excuse me," Elena hissed at him. How dare he threaten her?

"Don't create a scene, Elena. And my brother should not know about this," Stefan instructed still smiling as if he wasn't saying anything out of the ordinary.

"Now smile and pretend like you're having fun," Stefan added as he spun her.

Damon watched his brother and his doe-eyed vampire carefully from a distance as they danced and talked. He tried his best to listen to their conversation even though he knew it was wrong. The music was making it hard for his vampire hearing. Stefan had deliberately led her to the noisy part of the dance floor.

He watched her frown but then she smiled again, instantly. His brother must have said something really charming. Elena was strikingly beautiful. She must be accustomed to attention from men. Of course, his brother had an interest in her. Who wouldn't? She was everything he wanted. He loved her company.

He loved the sound of her voice, especially when she was annoyed with him, all cool, polite yet snarky as hell.

Every time Damon looked at her, he wanted her. He didn't know how to stop. The extent of the anger he felt at the thought of her with another man was so alien to him. It took him several seconds to grasp what he actually was feeling when Stefan touched her like he did for just a few moments. Or like when she smiled at his brother like she smiled at him. He wanted her smiles only for him. It was jealousy: blind, insatiable, cruel jealousy. He was tortured as he stood and watched her dance with his brother. She smiled at his brother again and it became more than he could endure for one evening.

Restraining himself from using vampire speed he walked toward the ballroom dance floor. "The song is over," he informed Stefan. "Ohh…Look at that. Time flies when you're having a good time…anyway, Thank you, Elena." Stefan said kissing her knuckle before he rushed past them.

"They are serving dinner. Let's go," he said before someone else could ask his date for a dance.

..

..

"Try the lobster ravioli," Damon said as he served her.

"I don't like seafood," Elena said pushing the plate away.

"This is Lexi's special dish. You must try it." He insisted.

"I just said I don't like seafood."

"Try it with citrus beurre blanc," he said as he poured sauce in her bowl.

"Are you even listening to me?" Elena asked, disbelievingly.

"Just try it one time," he said annoyed by her behavior.

"I don't want to try."

"Damn it! Baby Vamp! Can you just try it once?" he said through his teeth. "Remember when you were wrong about pickles as well," he reminded her.

With a loud huff, she obeyed. The warm mixture was pure ambrosia in her mouth. She moaned in appreciation.

"Told you so," he said proudly.

Just then he realized everyone else at the table had been looking at them. They had been arguing so far throughout the dinner. Everyone looked at him incredulously as if he just grew horns. He couldn't blame them. He always kept a cold façade in front of everyone. Respect demanded fear and to spread fear he had to detach himself from his clan.

Elena, however, crumbled his walls one by one. She managed to bring out the human inside him. He wanted to show her everything he liked. He wanted her to tell him everything about her. He felt like himself back before he was unwillingly turned.

Snapping himself back to reality, his cold façade returned. "Is there a problem?" he said loud enough for everyone to look away.

His eyes softened when his eyes lingered back to his doe-eyed vampire.

"That was awfully rude," she commented once his full attention was back to her.

"I know. Right? I mean seriously can't they all mind their own business," he replied annoyed.

"I was talking about you," Elena pointed out.

"But...they were staring at us," he reminded her.

"Because we were the only couple making all the commotion," she said rolling her eyes.

"We are a couple?" he asked, a slight smile on his face.

"I meant like…What time is it?" she asked as she pushed her plate away after she was done.

"Eleven thirty" he replied checking his wristwatch.

"Oh…God! I need to go," she said wiping her hands with her napkin.

"I still have thirty minutes in my two hours, Cinderella," he reminded her.

"I have to go. Please…" she pleaded.

He bit his lip for a minute as if in deep thought. "You will answer my calls. Right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"And you won't disappear on me because in that case, you should know that I can easily track you down."

"I know."

"Fine…Come on," he said getting up. "Time to go home."

..

..

She changed in the restroom and came out. Elena couldn't possibly go back in a ball gown. That would raise too many questions. She didn't clean her makeup though. She zoomed to the driveway where he was waiting for her.

"Wait," he said as he vamp sped inside and came out in seconds holding a bag. "I bought this dress for you. Take it," he said frowning.

"I can't,"

"Of course, you can."

He said holding the door open for her. She rolled her eyes but took the bag from him and sat inside.

"I can drop you at home," he said once he was seated.

"Just drop me at the first round-about on the highway," she replied.

"but I can…" he was cut off by her. "You promised. No questions asked."

He sighed in annoyance as he ignited the engine of his car to life. "When will I see you again?" he asked once he drove out of the driveway.

"Soon."

"How soon?" he asked, impatiently.

"Damon, I am not even gone yet" she said annoyed.

"You're not going to disappear on me this time," he said strictly.

She nodded as she looked out of the window.

"I had a really great time," he said breaking the silence again. "I am just...happy when I am around you," he added shyly.

She glanced at him and then her gaze lingered in her lap. "Me too," she whispered. He made her feel alive like no one ever did. He made her feel things she tried to resist. He made her smile. He made her laugh like no one ever did. He made her feel beautiful. He treated her like a real person, not a doll to be put up on a shelf and dusted every once in a while. The way he was so interested in her every move, he made her feel special.

"What? Didn't hear that," he said as if shocked.

"I had a great time too." She said loudly, smiling.

Chancing a glance at her, he smiled. "Everyone in my clan is smitten by you," he added.

She felt guilty. Not only was she lying to him. She was lying to her family, her clan and now his clan too. She was a horrible person.

"Even the werewolves approve of you and trust me they are not easy to please," he added.

"They only like me because I was with you," she reminded him.

"Well…It's not my fault I am an amazing person," he replied smugly.

"Don't know about that but you're ridiculously conceited," she said rolling her eyes at his pride.

"People who are as witty, intelligent and as attractive as I am are usually conceited. I mean damn, what's not to adore?" he retorted confidently.

"You might be a pretty boy but you really need to put a bag over your personality," she replied smirking.

"Pretty boy? Excuse me, Take that back," he hissed as he halted the car in the middle of the road. The highway was empty at this time of the night. If it weren't for the fact that she was a vampire, she would be scared.

"Did I hit a nerve?" she replied with a chuckle.

"At times like these, I don't think I really like you," he said as he restarted the car and started driving.

"Good! I don't want you to like me anyway," she replied indifferently

"That's not what your face said when I kissed that girl at the club. You looked like you were ready to kill," he said with a proud smirk. "You were so jealous."

She blushed furiously as she remembered. Why did he have to bring that up?

"You know who I am jealous of? I am jealous of all the people who haven't met you," she replied.

"Lame," he commented with a chuckle.

"I wasn't jealous."

"Sure! Stay in denial all you want."

"I'm not in denial. I am just very selective about the reality that I accept and this is not reality after all…In fact, I think you are living in a fantasy because I keep shooting you down," she replied looking ahead.

"The only reason you keep shooting me down is because you're scared. While in reality, we both know that you can't wait to jump my bones and make sweet sweet love to me," he said smirking.

"Your brain must be made out of rocking horse shit…"

"Such a tease," he commented, riling her.

"I'm not a tease. I'm just a reminder of what you can't have." She replied as she ran her fingers through her hair.

He halted the car instantly, glaring at her. "What are you doing?" she said, alarmed.

With a flash, he was straddling her without putting any actual weight on her. His hand lingered to the lever on the side of her seat and pulled it, reclining the seat until it was flat. She felt her heart stop as his body pressed against her before he pinned her hands to her on either side.

"What…What are you doing?" she stammered.

Peering up at him through her thick lashes, she saw the heat and demand in his dark eyes as they stayed on hers. He gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. His body relaxed between her legs. His cold breath tangled with hers chilled her to the bone. His lips hovered over hers for a second.

"Don't ever say that again," he warned.

"You drive me mad sometimes…I know it's way early for you to admit this but patience isn't really my gig anyway. You're mine Baby Vamp. From your pretty hair to your toes. I want you. I will have you." He said caressing her cheek. She leaned into his touch willingly. He attacked her mouth with a growl. He moaned as his tongue started tracing the ridges of her lips, his kiss turning savage as she ran her fingers through his hair. She wanted to stop herself but her body had a whole different plan. It was enjoying his touch, the feel of him.

Leaning down, he attacked her neck in a flurry of gentle kisses trailing down toward her cleavage. Her breath became ragged. She couldn't think straight anymore. Damon was trying to memorize everything as his lips trailed down to her heaving chest. The scent of her skin, her hair, her soft sighs, everything enchanted him. He buried his face in her clothed cleavage and nearly sighed in contentment as he heard her heart race. Not like humans though. It was a faint heartbeat. She gasped audibly when she felt his lips against her clothed breasts.

He chuckled slightly as his lips trailed back up and reclaimed her lips. This time she kissed back immediately. "This is how your body reacts to me, Baby Vamp," he whispered as his lips trailed to her ear. He began nuzzling her neck with his face, his lips nibbling her skin. "You were made for me," he added as one of his hands cupped her cheek.

"For the record, I was jealous too when you were with Stefan," he said as he nuzzled her temple. "I can't bear another man's hands on you," he added.

The loud tone of her phone snapped them out of their bubble. "Get off me," Elena hissed at him. He chuckled as he lifted himself off her and jumped to his seat. Elena took out her phone from her jeans as she leveled her seat back like it was before her crazy vampire admirer attacked her. She answered the call immediately

"Honey-You're late," Caroline said panicked.

"Caroline! Just five minutes," Elena answered.

"Please…hurry up," Caroline said as she hung up.

"Caroline?" Damon asked as he raced the car to where his doe-eyed vampire's friend was waiting for them.

"Yeah…my friend."

"You're still friends with that bitch," Damon growled.

"Excuse me?"

"She left you to die," Damon reminded her.

"But I survived. Didn't I?" Elena said.

"I don't think you should be friends with people like her. If she was your real friend she wouldn't have left you just like that," he said in a serious tone.

"She is my best friend and she had strong reasons for leaving."

"I still don't approve of her," he said annoyed.

"It's a good thing I don't need your approval," Elena replied rolling her eyes.

"I care about you more than that girl would ever do," he snapped at her.

"Why?" Elena said looking at him.

He looked taken aback. He didn't know why he cared. He didn't know why she affected him so much. All he knew was that whenever he saw her he wanted to protect her from every harm in the world. She drove him crazy with her shy attitude one minute and snarky comments the next. Sometimes, her talking back to him really angered him. He would be imagining all the things he could do to that small mouth of hers that she used to talk back to him as if he was nothing. As if his power or his status didn't intimidate her a tad bit.

"Damon…" she said.

"Huh?"

"why do you care?"

"I don't know…" he lied. He knew why. He was _**falling**_ for her.

"When will I see you again?" he asked a minute later.

"I will call you," she promised "and we will come up with something."

He saw her friend's car parked near the round-about. He groaned internally. He didn't want the date to be over just yet. But, he did promise to let her leave. Maybe, if he let her go. She will come back to him herself. He halted the car. "You better answer my calls this time," he warned. "Or I swear to God I will track you down and…"

His words died in his mouth as she pecked him. "Condition three," she reminded him.

"You call that a kiss!" he said frowning before pulling her to him. He caught her lips in a demanding kiss and refused to release her lips as he bit her bottom lip playfully before capturing her lips in another kiss.

"Now that's a kiss," he said as he pulled back and smirked smugly.

"Goodnight," she said as she opened the door. He was on her side instantly in a second holding the door open for her.

"Goodnight, Baby Vamp," he said sadly as she walked toward her friend's car.

She looked back at him one last time before she jumped into her friend's car. He waved at her playfully and arrogantly. She shook her head and waved back as her friend revived the car engine back to life.

He stood there until the lights behind the car disappeared entirely.

..

..

"I am working on it, Klaus. But she is a tough one. I don't think she will ever submit to me," Elijah said tiredly.

"Of course, she will. You aren't trying hard enough," Klaus replied as he ripped open the servant girl's wrist.

"You have to somehow convince Honey to perform the mating bond with you," he added. "Why can't you just force your blood down her throat. We will blame it on your inner demon's instinct to claim her," Klaus added after a thought.

"Klaus. I am awfully loyal to you but even I won't take that type of risk for you. What if after I feed her my blood she refuses to feed hers to me? What if she runs away? You and I both know that if she didn't feed me her blood within twenty-four hours after I do, the mating bond will be incomplete and I will die a painful death," Elijah said shaking his head.

"And what's to say you won't melt seeing your sister's tears if she says she doesn't want me. You are a dick but you're still her brother. I can't trust you like that. No…There must be another way."

"Why don't you just compel her to fall in love with me?" Elijah said.

"I told you many times that I won't force my sister into this myself. Besides Kol and Rebekah will never allow me to do that. Not to mention, my mate would never talk to me ever again. Care is Honey's best friend," Klaus reminded him.

"What if she falls in love with someone else? What if she wants someone else?" Elijah said, "I mean what if any other vampire performs the mating bond with her?"

"Never," Klaus snarled. "I have selected you for a reason. She respects me too much to ever defy my orders and as for any other dick who wants a claim on my sister, I will just kill him or remove his memories." He added.

"No one is going to ruin my plan," Klaus said after a second.

"You have to wait for me to make her fall in love with me," Elijah said as he got up.

"You have to hurry, Elijah. I have waited enough. You have to perform the mating bond with Honey and conceive with her. Your child would be the most powerful creature in the world. He will ooze magic. Together we would rule the world. No werewolves' bites, no vampire councils, no Bennett witches and especially no fucking Rippers. All clans will be at our feet," Klaus said as he imagined his plan fulfilled.

Elijah nodded in agreement.

From a distance, he heard Caroline's loud voice. "You should go now. My mate is here. Start working on our plan. We are already awfully behind our schedule," Klaus said as he dismissed Elijah.

..

..

 _Chapter proof read by Alta Beorn. Your work is amazing :)_

 _Review?_


	8. Sleeping with the enemy

**Chapter 7: 'Sleeping with the enemy'**

* * *

Caroline rubbed lotion on her bare arms. Klaus noticed she was very quiet tonight. This was completely unlike her. He could sense her emotions. She was angry and stressed. He walked behind her and circled his arms around her. "I missed you," he whispered in her ear. A smile crept on her face. It still didn't reach her eyes.

He felt her blood rush in her body as his hands ran up her bare arms. Her eyes closed in great reprieve as she felt the feel of her husband against her. It was like her body didn't belong to her anymore and in a way it was true. Her mind, her body and her soul belonged solely to him.

The pull she felt to him was stronger than anything she had ever felt. It was more than love. Even the scent of him thrilled her beyond rational thought. Instinctively she moved closer to his warmth. She felt crazy love for the man in her veins. That's what a blood bond did. It gave him complete power over her.

"I was only gone for half a day," she said spinning around, relaxing with his touch.

"I felt you. You were stressed," he said with a frown.

"You know me. I am always so full of emotions…I am a mess," she said sweetly nibbling on his neck.

He chuckled. "That you are," he said smiling. "But that's what made me fall for you…"

"You told me yesterday that my beauty and radiance made you fall for me…are you changing your mind again?" she said narrowing her eyes playfully.

"Care! Love! There are thousands of reasons for why I fell for you and believe me I want to tell you each and every one of them but right now. I need you too bad," he said as he picked her up.

Throwing her on bed, he climbed on top of her. " I love you so much my heart hurts every second that I don't see you." He said earnestly as his hands roamed down her body.

"It took me a thousand years to find you…thousands years of pain and loneliness," he whispered as he carefully removed her nightgown. The one time he tore it off, Caroline had refused to talk to him ever again. Even buying her ten replacement gowns had not worked. He had literally been down on his knees until she forgave him. Yes, Ladies and Gentleman! Klaus fucking Mikelson had been down on his knees to grovel for forgiveness from his beautiful radiant wife.

"You're my world," he murmured as he peeled her clothes off. She looked dazed. Her eyes on his. She was eager to please him. She was his mate. She wanted to devour him and satisfy him in every way possible.

In a while when they were both panting after coital bliss.

"Love," he said running his fingers through her hair.

"Huh?"

"You're stressed. Did something happen with Honey?" he said narrowing his eyes. He felt her heart race.

"Nothing…It's just Honey is going and I am gonna miss her," she said in a low tone.

"Love! I know that she is your best friend but she has been locked up here since her birth. We have been suffocating her. I want her to live her life to the fullest. We have to let her go," Klaus said as he rubbed her eyes.

"And besides I will take you to meet her whenever you want. Duke is not far from here. Just a three-hour ride," Klaus comforted her.

Caroline nodded burying her face in his shoulder. That wasn't it. She couldn't tell her husband that she just had a fight with his sister because she witnessed her make out with her husband's worst enemy. Events from hours before flashed before her mind.

 _"What was that?" Caroline said as she raced the car toward the town._

 _"What?" Elena said looking away._

 _"How the fuck will he leave you alone if you keep making out with him?" Caroline said through her gritted teeth._

 _Elena's cheeks reddened. "He is persistent. It's not my fault he won't leave me alone," Elena tried to defend herself._

 _"So you thought making out with him was the best way to pass the message that you aren't interested in him," she seethed._

 _"Care, Need I remind you that it's your fault we are in this mess in the first place? You crossed the border that day. You saved yourself and left me to die. I lied because of you."_

 _"Yes! But it should have finished right there. Then you had to go on a date with him. You made him even more obsessed with you. You keep telling him that you're not interested but then you mess with his head again by making out with him…You make sure he keeps coming after you," Caroline said shaking her head._

 _"Are you even listening to yourself? I don't do anything like that. I know the consequences of this. I'm always shooting him down. I am always rejecting him."_

 _"It's not rejecting if you can't keep your hands to yourself. You like him, Honey. I saw the way you two looked at each other when you were leaving him. I didn't quite miss the look he gave you. There was longing in his look, longing and accepted sadness and I saw the same look on your face as if you didn't want to leave his side."_

 _"You're imagining things," Elena said shaking her head._

 _"Did you tell him that you're not ever seeing him again?" Caroline demanded._

 _"No…It's not gonna work like that. He has a witch who he used to track me down this time," Elena said._

 _Caroline groaned. "See that, Honey. You're not even trying. You keep making excuses to see him."_

 _Elena let out a gasp. "You can't say that. I am trying my best to stay away from him and finish whatever is between us. I will admit that I am attracted to him but…" she was cut off by Caroline._

 _"He and his clan are our clan's enemy. He humiliated Kol and Nick in the vampire council just a few days ago. Jerome died because Rippers gave protection to werewolves. How can you be attracted to him? Did you hit your head or something?" Caroline said, sickened by her statement._

 _"Should've thought about all that when you crossed the border…" Elena huffed._

 _"I am just looking out for you, Honey."_

 _"Caroline, I know he is the enemy…I will end this before I go back to Duke," Elena said as she looked out of the window._

 _"Good!" she said as she stopped the car in front of Elena's apartment building._

 _Elena's phone beeped and Caroline gritted her teeth. "For goodness sake, it's not even been half an hour since you left him."_

 _"He is just asking if I got home safely."_

 _"Don't answer," Caroline instructed her._

 _Elena stuffed her phone back into her jeans pocket as she picked up the bag Damon gave her. She didn't look back as she walked towards her building. She looked pissed. Caroline knew this wasn't going to be the end of this. She had to think fast to end it all, soon._

A thought came to her mind and it nearly shook her. What if that Ripper was in love with her? She remembered Klaus chasing her like that Ripper was chasing Elena. She shivered at the thought. No. she couldn't let that happen. That would only complicate the situation more.

If she told Klaus that a ripper was after his sister. She knew he would flip. He didn't tolerate any type of nonsense when it came to his family. Klaus would launch a war. He would kill every one of the Rippers for even laying their eyes on Elena. He might get mad at her but this was the only way to save both Elena and herself.

"Nick…I want to tell you something?" she said as she looked up.

He was fast asleep. She clenched her knuckles. She should tell him. Shouldn't she? Her loyalties were purely to her mate. But if she told him then Klaus would launch a war and he could get hurt. They still didn't have any sort of upper advantage over the Rippers. Her first instinct after the blood bond was to keep her mate safe from all the troubles and hurt in the world. Her mate came first.

She debated with herself. Elena was her sister in a way now. If Elena said she would end it with the Ripper she would do it. Elena loved her siblings. No one could ever come between Elena and her siblings. She respected Klaus too much to ever go behind his back and fall for an enemy. She would end it. Caroline thought. Yes, she shouldn't tell Klaus. That would only stir up more trouble.

With that on her mind. She closed her eyes.

..

..

Enzo and Damon were bored out of their minds as they stood there and watched her cast a spell on the werewolves dungeons. "Are you sure this will work?" Damon said.

"Definitely," Bonnie replied as she completed her spell. "The spell will take effect by night."

"We don't want another accident. We are lucky the vampire Mason bit was not one of ours." Damon said as he examined the building for any sort of loophole.

"We have a cure," Enzo reminded him.

"I still don't want any accidents," he replied strictly.

"About time…" he said out loud before Mason even entered the building.

"Sorry! Got caught up with the young wolves…"

"They still haven't learned to properly shapeshift without the moon interference? " Damon asked frowning.

"I am trying my best to teach them before the next full moon but it's hard. They are very young," Mason briefed. He was the chief of his clan. They had allied with Rippers a century back. Originals wanted to extinguish their kind. They needed protection. Damon had invited him to live on their side of the Mystic Falls.

At first, Mason's grandfather thought it was a trap but Damon had guaranteed him protection and a place to live freely. They had made a treaty. His werewolves must be trained to fight whenever they needed to defend their territory. They were forbidden to ever bite any of Ripper's vampires. And lastly, young werewolves who weren't expert in shapeshifting were locked in the Lockwood cellar on the full moon.

Mason's grandfather had agreed to all the terms and moved with his clan to Ripper's side of Mystic Falls. This had enraged the Originals to the fullest. Originals took the case to the vampire council. They wanted the vampire council to join with them and kill off both Rippers and Wolf clans. Even the thought of werewolves and vampires together was outrageous. Ripper chief "Damon" had taken charge and had supported werewolves. He had declared he would fight every single one of them if anyone so much as says anything against them.

Together their power had intimidated the ancient vampires of the council and they had agreed to accept werewolves. He could still remember Klaus Mikelson's thunderstruck face when things didn't work out the way he wanted.

"We need them ready all the time," Damon ordered as he walked outside the dungeons. "Originals can never be trusted. They will attack the minute we let our guard down," he added.

"I have heard they have some sort of secret weapon against us now," Mason informed him.

"Yes! Ric did inform me. You don't need to worry about that. I am personally looking into that matter. Even vampire lords are keeping an eye on that pathetic excuse of a vampire Klaus," Damon replied as he scrunched up his nose in disgust.

He hated Originals. Just because they were old didn't mean they could rule. Originals considered themselves better than every other vampire clan. They could sink to the lowest level for power. They forced their will on everyone. And if someone didn't submit to their will they would destroy them and everyone they cared about or loved. They were ruthless.

They had tormented Werewolves and killed them to the point of near extinction. They had burned witches alive so no magical being could weaken them. They had killed countless clans who even showed a slight threat toward them.

"Are you sure you can concentrate on work now?" Mason said smirking.

Damon looked at him frowning. "What?"

"Word in the town is chief is head over heels for a very beautiful young vampire," Mason replied.

Damon suppressed a smile at the mention of Elena. He kept a cold façade.

"What's her name? uhh…The girl is pretty famous these days…Eliza?"

"Elena," Damon corrected.

"She has been famous in our place too," Enzo interrupted. "He is always on the phone with her." He added.

" …But you have checked her background, Right?" he asked hesitantly. "We don't want a repeat of Katherine," he added and all of them snarled. That name was taboo on their side of Mystic Falls.

Damon saw no point in delaying the inevitable; he drew a deep breath and turned to him. They were right to feel unsure especially after what happened last time. Klaus fucking Mikelson had nearly screwed them by sending that bitch.

"First of all, Elena is nothing like that bitch. Never compare her to Katherine," he said in a tone filled with venom. "Elena is truth and purity itself. She is barely five in vampire age. She means no harm to anyone. She can't even feed on humans. How can someone like that ever mean a threat to us?" he said.

"But still…"

"No! Elena can be trusted. I have even given her a free pass to come to Mystic Falls whenever she wants. She is fine. Tell your wolves that she holds my protection and there is no need to feel threatened by her," he said in a voice full of authority. "Case closed."

"I don't have anything against her, man," Mason said as his hands rose in the air. "It's just, you know last time the girl you and Stefan were taken with was basically sent by Klaus fucking Mikelson to turn you two against each other and kill each other," Mason reminded him.

"And look how well that worked out for her. We killed her as soon as we found out about her true intentions," Damon replied smugly. "And I wasn't _taken by_ her. Yes, she was attractive and I liked her but I never loved her. Her blood never sang for me," he added.

A lot of members of their clan were still restless by Elena's sudden arrival. It was normal since she basically was an outsider and had no clan history. She was an individual. This was very unorthodox. It would take time for his clan to be okay with Elena.

He had deliberately taken her to a public event with him so everyone would know she was important to him.

"Okay! Okay! I get it. Elena isn't Katherine," Mason said. "I will tell my clan that there is nothing to be worried about," he added.

"Good," he replied.

"It will take time for the clan to accept her. She is, after all, an outsider," Bonnie said as she came toward them.

He nodded, understandingly. "I gotta meet Ric today. I will see you both back in the boarding house," Damon said as he checked his wristwatch for the time.

She nodded in agreement. He spun around and vamp sped to his car. Just when he sat in his car, his phone beeped.

With a smirk, he took out his phone. Like he predicted it was Elena. They have been calling and texting ever since a week ago after the ball. He wanted to meet her but she kept telling him she was busy with family issues. When he threatened to track her down and kidnap her again, she agreed to visiting him by the end of this week.

She was still keeping her distance though. He didn't know why she was being so cautious. But he was determined to break down her walls one by one. And his efforts weren't fruitless. She was warming up to him. They still fought like crazy. She had a witty answer to everything.

There were times when he became utterly frustrated with her. Like when she told him yesterday that they can't be together because it was wrong. "We are just not meant to be, Damon," she had said repeatedly when he tried to talk about the future.

"Why?" he asked, firmly.

"Because-" she hadn't answered. He had managed to convince her that they should just see where the thing between them goes.

He knew she craved his company like he craved hers. There was a strong connection between them and even though she tried to hold back from him, she still couldn't stay away from him.

He connected his phone to the stereo's aux before he revived the car back to life. He called her as he raced his car to his friend's house.

"Good Morning Sunshine," he greeted as soon as she answered.

"Sorry. I don't know when I fell asleep talking to you last night" she said earnestly still in her sleepy tone.

"It's okay. I knew you were tired. You have been busy with your family all day." He said. "How are Jenna and Jeremy?" he added, out of courtesy.

She seemed hesitant whenever he talked about her family. He noticed that. Was she afraid of him? That just because he could harm her family since he was a century old vampire, that he would? He did threaten to kidnap her family. He felt guilty for that.

"They are fine," she replied.

"So, when are you meeting me again?" he asked, back to the topic they had been arguing about for two days now.

"Not again," she sighed in frustration.

"Baby Vamp, I swear to God. I am this close to asking Bonnie to track you down for me," he said in a serious tone.

"Damon, I told you I am busy with my family."

"It's been a week. A week is long enough for you to sort out your issues and take out some time for me."

"Too impatient. Aren't we?" she teased him.

"I am not gonna lie. I really wanna see you," he said earnestly, he heard her sharp intake of breath.

He wasn't lying. He indeed felt a sense of loss. He wanted so much to touch that softness, to draw her close and taste the sweetness of her lips. No one could understand the happiness he felt whenever she was with him.

"I wanna see you too," she replied. His heart skipped a beat. "I mean…I have to talk to you about something…" she said with a slight hesitation.

"Can I call you in awhile? I have an important meeting with a friend. We have a little bit of a werewolf issue." He said as he halted his car in front of Ric's house.

"Umm…okay," she replied.

"Don't try to miss me too much," he said with a smirk.

"Haha. Miss you? I'll be counting the seconds desperately till I hear your dark velvety voice again!" she mocked him with a dramatic sigh. He let out a chuckle.

"Bye," she said hesitantly.

"Bye, Baby Vamp."

..

..

"Woohoo! Ric?" he said as he entered the luxurious living room.

"Here," he heard Ric's voice from his weapon workshop.

Ric was an ancient vampire in their clan. He was the one who converted Damon and Stefan. Ric was oldest and wisest but he made Damon the chief of Rippers. He preferred working behind the scenes rather than taking control. Besides, Damon was better at scheming then he could ever be. He had driven Klaus bonkers in the past one and a half century ever since he took control.

"What are you working on?" he asked as he examined Ric's weapons.

"Vervain grenades," Ric said as he looked up.

"We have an issue with the young wolves. They can't seem to get the hang of shapeshifting. We will need more wolfsbane for their training," he said in a serious tone.

"I will send a batch to Mason," Ric said without looking up.

Damon stood there silently and waited for his friend to finish his work. He walked toward Ric's bar.

"Drinking again?"

"Hey! Hey! Hakuna Ma Vodka. It means no memories," he said as he poured himself the drink.

"What are you trying to forget?" Ric said without looking up

"Blood."

"Why?"

"Umm…I am trying to feed from blood bags but they are disgusting. So I am avoiding feeding altogether unless it's completely necessary."

"You need blood to function Damon. Especially in times like this when our relations are already strained with our dear neighbors," Ric said finally looking up.

Damon bit his lip looking away.

"Why are you using blood bags anyway?" he asked.

"Is this because of the girl I've been hearing about?" Ric added.

"I just wanted to see how she feeds. To get a better understanding of how I can help her." Damon tried to explain himself.

"You can't help her by starving yourself. There must be a reason she can't feed from humans. I have heard about vampires like that," Ric said as he put the grenades carefully in a safe.

"Aha…What about them?"

"They are very rare. It's some sort of spell that strips them of feeding like a normal vampire would," Ric said as he took out a book.

"She was turned "normally" by her father's friend. Why would anyone cast a spell on her to restrain her from feeding?" Damon asked. In his mind, that was horrible. If it weren't for blood bags the girl would have starved to death.

"Noble ancient vampires use to do that so they won't hurt any living being," Ric said as he took out a book. "You said she never killed?" Ric said looking at him. Damon nodded. That's what fascinated him the most about her.

"Purity is very rare in vampires," Ric stated. "I will search for more about this. We could help her out with her blood in-take problem."

"Thank you."

"It's been a while since someone meant this much to you," Ric commented as he closed the book.

"I don't know. There is just something about her that keeps pulling me to her."

Ric had a faint smile on his face. "What?" Damon asked. "Nothing."

"Anyway. I received a memo from the Council today. That fucking lowlife Klaus has convinced some of the lords that Bennett witches are a threat to them. I don't want Enzo to know. He will just flip. That fucking mate protection instinct of his! Anyway, Can you look into this matter? I have already got a lot on my plate." Damon said wearily.

"Ahh yes! I heard about the new vampires. Some of them are on a blood rampage. Right?"

"Stefan and I will handle them. I am training them myself," Damon said as he fell on his chair.

"This batch is even worse than the last one," he added.

Being a chief wasn't as easy as it seemed. He had to look after the blood stock. He had to make sure humans didn't notice the supernatural in them. He had to train the new vampires to fight and survive. He had to teach them how to feed before they went all crazy and go on a blood rampage. And who could forget he had to scheme and stay alert all the time so fucking "Originals" won't strike them with a surprise attack.

And not to mention, his love life was a mess too. The girl he was falling for didn't want to commit to him. Too many fucking problems. And then they all complained he was bitter.

..

..

"You still have time to turn back," Caroline said on the other side of the call.

"I have to do this before I go to Duke tomorrow," Elena said as she just passed the Richmond Barrier and was now just ten minutes' distance away from Ripper's side of Mystic Falls.

"You will break up with him."

"There was never a relationship. I am just gonna go down there and talk to him. A real talk that we can't happen."

"Like he ever listened to you before," Caroline said.

"I will convince him this time. We can't happen! Care. It's too dangerous. Nick hates them. He was seething yesterday talking about them to father. I can't imagine how mad he will be at me if he ever found out about Damon. You're right. This has to end for good," Elena said as she entered their territory. "I can't betray my family. Never! I would rather die. The guilt is already eating me," she added.

She heard Caroline take a deep breath.

"Nick and Kol are out of town for the day for a meeting with the council about some witches. They will be back by tomorrow evening. No one will notice you are gone. I will keep the rest of the family busy. Make sure you end it with the lover boy today." Caroline said in a voice full of authority.

"I will. I will call you later," Elena said as she dropped the call.

She halted her car. She didn't quite remember the way to his house. She jumped out of the car. She called him again. He didn't pick up. _He must still be in his meeting._ She thought. She started her car again as she tried to make sense of the roads. She took a wrong turn and found herself at a dead end.

She looked around. She sat in her car, scared and not sure of what to do. Her eyes wandered around again hoping in her heart someone else was around so they could guide her back. She regretted it immediately as she heard a faint growl.

She noticed a long line of trees at the end of the road. She heard a growl again. Gulping audibly, she reversed her car to escape. She felt something hit her car. "Shit," she hissed. She must have hit an animal or something. Elena unbuckled her seatbelt and turned off the lights while easing out of it.

She jumped out of her car to help the injured animal but there wasn't anything behind her car. That's when she heard a very fierce growl. She spun around. Her breath got caught in her throat as she noticed the large animal flashing its teeth at her. Without thinking twice she ran using her vampire speed, deeper into the forest.

She heard the wolf following her. She mentally cursed herself for not informing Damon before she came. This just wasn't her month. First, she got herself into trouble with Rippers, then with Klaus, then a Ripper started chasing her around and now a werewolf was going to kill her. She couldn't catch a break.

The wolf appeared out of nowhere in front of her. She stopped dead in her tracks before she spun around and ran in opposite direction. There was no point fighting the wolf. If he bit her she would be dead by nightfall. She just had to escape. Absurdly, in some dim corner of her mind, she also hoped the wolf's hard, sharp toenails had not scratched the car.

She screamed at the top of her lungs when the wolf almost jumped on her. She ran and hid behind a bush, holding her breath. Tears were staining her face. She felt fear take over her body. She could still hear the wolf growling.

Her phone chimed loudly, giving away her hiding place. She instantly answered.

"Couldn't stay even a few minutes away from me," she heard his cocky voice.

"The wolf…" she tried to speak as she ran.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"I am here in Mystic Falls. I got lost. The…A wolf attacked me," she tried to explain in between sobs as she hid behind a line of trees.

"Wha…? I told you to inform me, before coming over. Where are you?" he demanded, worried.

"I don't know…some forest."

"Tell me anything. What do you see around?" he asked, frantically.

She gasped as she crouched so the wolf wouldn't know where she was. It started to sniff her scent.

"Please. Please save me," she whispered.

"Yes, I will!I will! But tell me where are you?" he said in a desperate tone.

"Lots of trees."

"Sunshine, look around. Anything else? Ok how far are you from the entrance gate?" he asked in a very anxious tone.

"There is a huge building. I can hide there," Elena said in a hopeful voice as she scanned her surroundings.

"Shit! The Lockwood cellar. Baby, stay away from that place. There are more of these wolves in their today." He said anxiously. "Don't hang up. Okay? Talk to me so I know that you are okay," he said desperately.

Before she could reply the wolf spotted her. She rolled on the ground to stay out of his reach. She vamped out snarling at the wolf.

The wolf pounced on her but she vamp sped out of its reach. Her phone fell on the ground. She left it as she tried to escape the wolf. She tried frantically to run but the wolf pounced on her, pinning her to the ground.

..

..

It was hard to see with the rain lashing everywhere. Damon was going crazy as he tried to follow Elena's scent to reach her. He had to get to her before that stupid barely a day old wolf hurt his doe-eyed vampire. He was going to have a serious talk with Mason for letting the young wolves loose in the forest.

She had been crying over the phone for him to save her. His heart thundered against his chest, the rhythm tattooing out a desperate demand to be with her. With every passing second, he was getting more desperate.

His heart wrenched in fear. What if he was too late? No, he needed to save her. He just found her. _He loved her_. He didn't even realize what he had just told himself. He heard a cry. "Elena!" he shouted. He knew she was close.

He heard the growls of the wolf. He vamped out and zoomed to where the growls were coming from. His eyes widened and he nearly felt life escape through him as he saw her pinned to the ground by the huge animal. He sped to her and threw the wolf off her. Grasping her wrist he helped Elena up, taking her in his arms. "Are you okay?" he said as his eyes frantically searched for any wolf bite.

"It was…It was going to bite me," she said sobbing heavily as she hugged him tightly as if her life depended on it.

"I am here, baby. I am here. You're okay now," he said as he circled his arms around her waist, dipping his face into her hair. He felt a strong rush being close to her. As if he just got the world.

"Damon! Watch out!" she shouted as she pushed them both out of the way. He looked back. The wolf was snarling at them.

He turned around, his eyes blazing with anger as he pushed Elena behind him. The wolf approached them with the speed of lightning. Damon's reflexes were fast. He threw a punch and the wolf flew back, howling.

Overconfident, Damon advanced on him to knock him out. Elena knew it was the wrong move. An injured animal is the most dangerous animal in the world. Before she could stop him, he threw the wolf back, snarling at him. The wolf attacked back, biting Damon's face. Elena screamed at the top of her lungs.

She picked up stones from the ground and threw them at the wolf with vamp force. Like bullets, it pierced the wolf's skin. The wolf howled in pain as he fell back. His attention diverted back to Elena. It moved toward Elena. She cowered in fright as she stepped back.

The injured vampire zoomed in between them again, protecting the girl he just discovered he loved. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, not while he was breathing. Growling, he plunged his teeth into the wolf's skin. The wolf cried in agony. Damon advanced on him, gripping his leg and throwing him across the field. It howled again in pain and fled in the other direction.

Damon turned back to his doe-eyed vampire. She cried looking at him. His face was scarred by the bite. He was panting. He fell to his knees. The fight had drained him. Blood was oozing out of him in streams. A wolf bite was poisonous and it stopped vampire healing. _He would die for sure_. Elena thought as she rushed to him.

Damon was panting hard as he knelt. The wolf bite stung like someone had just set his face on fire. He couldn't find the ability to tell her to call his clan. She looked at him with horror-struck eyes.

"Leave him to die here," her mind screamed. She could leave him. He would die here painfully. One of the thorns in her brother's life would be removed for good. He was after all her enemy. He didn't know that but she did. Damon had humiliated her family just a few days ago. Jerome had died by one of their werewolves.

"Eee…Elena… call Enzo," he murmured as he fell on the ground. He couldn't see properly anymore. The poison was taking over his body. "Leave him to die here. All your problems would be over too. Klaus would never know that you crossed the border," she thought.

"No! I can't. I am not gonna leave him," she whispered. How can she forget that he just saved her life? How can she even think about leaving him to die when he willingly jumped in front of the wolf to save her?

She zoomed to him and held him. "Damon…Damon, I am here," she said in between sobs. She didn't know what to do. Tears poured down her face. She felt a strange pain in her chest. As if she could feel his pain. "I won't let anything happen to you," she said as she searched his pockets for his cell. He nodded, panting heavily.

She found his phone in his left pocket as he struggled to breathe. She searched for Enzo's contact number as she helped Damon to lay his head on her lap. She found his contact. She instantly called him as she tried to see through her tear filled eyes.

She tried to tend his wounds but he hissed when her fingers touched his face. She sobbed louder as if she could feel the pain too. If something were to happen to him because of her she would break down. She couldn't stand to see him in pain. He was hurt because of her. "Stay with me…I won't let anything happen to you," she said as she brushed his hair away from his bruised face.

Enzo picked up on the third bell.

"Why do you always have to cock block me?" Enzo said in frustration.

"I…Hello…This is…I am Elena."

"Elena? This is Damon's phone. Isn't it?" Enzo said and then he growled. "Where is Damon? What did you do to him?"

"I got attacked…He was trying to(sob) save me. The wolf bit him," she tried to explain as she cried.

"What? When did that happen? Where are you?"

"Lo…Lockwood…Lockwood Cellar," Damon said as he whimpered in pain. He was feeling like someone had set him on fire. It was spreading throughout his body. He was feeling nauseous already. Seven hours of pure torture before death. Unless they give him the cure.

"Some Lockwood Cellar," Elena said looking around.

"Listen to me, Elena. You have to get out of there. The young werewolves are training today. You need to get to the boarding house right about now," Enzo instructed. "I am not in Mystic Falls so I can't pick you two up," Enzo added.

"I don't know where the boarding house is," Elena said as she tried to lift Damon. He whimpered as her hand brushed his face slightly.

"Sorry! Sorry!" she said as she pulled back.

"Elena! You just need to get back on the road. I will send someone to guide you." Enzo said, his tone filled with fear.

"Okay."

His blood smeared on her hands as she pulled him up. He couldn't walk properly either. The poison was numbing his senses slowly. His breathing became harsh. He could hear Elena's painful heart wrenching sobs as if she could feel his pain. She circled her arm around his waist as she picked him up. Her vampire strength was more than enough to carry his weight.

"I am here Baby. You're going to be okay," she said when he whimpered.  
He nodded almost in a childlike way as she carried half of his weight on her. She cooed in his ear, comforting him as much as she could as she walked them back to her car. Holding him by one arm, she opened the car door and carefully helped him in.

Damon shut his lips tightly. He didn't want her to see how much he was hurting. Even in this time, he didn't want her to feel that he was weak. But the blinding pain was taking over his senses. He groaned again in pain. He could feel the light of the car falling on his face. From his injured eyes, he saw her flinch as she saw his face. He immediately felt insecure. She was crying as if someone had just ripped her heart out.

"You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay," she said repeatedly more to herself then him. She vamp sped to the driver's side and hopped in her car. She revived the car engine immediately. Racing her car, she got back on the road.

Gasping in blinding pain, he tried to peek to see her. Her eyes were on the road. She was sobbing loudly like a child. As if on instinct she looked at him, her impossibly beautiful doe-brown eyes, swimming in tears. He felt himself recoil as if he'd been kicked. He'd made her cry. He never wanted her to cry because of him or for him. _She shouldn't cry at all_. He thought almost forgetting the blinding pain of the wolf bite. He felt an overwhelming amount of sadness. She was so precious. If she cried the world would cry with her. Almost unconsciously he uttered sounds of hushing tenderness to calm her down as he reached out for her hand. She held his hand instantly, her focus still on the road.

His wound was getting worse. The gushing blood has stopped but the gash was turning purplish. From some distance, she saw a car. "Stefan," she murmured as she recognized one of the vampires. She stopped the car close to them.

Stefan rushed to them, the spell caster of Bennett clan, hot on his heels. "What the fuck happened?" Stefan demanded as he opened the car door.

"Werewolf attacked…I…I was running and I called…" she tried to explain as she repressed some sobs.

"What the hell were you doing in the forest anyway?" Stefan hissed at her. "I swear to God I will…" he trailed off when Damon hissed.

"We need to give him the cure to the bite first. We can deal with the young vampire later." Mr. Bennett instructed Stefan.

Stefan nodded as he lifted his brother up. His eyes never leaving the weeping vampire girl. She cowered slightly due to his blazing stare. God! He looked like he really hated her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Stefan said when Elena followed them.

"You need to leave," Stefan ordered.

"I am not going anywhere until he is okay," Elena protested, wiping her tears.

"You can't stay," Stefan flat out refused. Their cure was a secret. In no way was he allowing the girl anywhere near their biggest secret weapon. She couldn't be trusted. They hardly knew her.

"I am not leaving Damon in this state," Elena hissed at him.

"Stefan! Let her stay," Damon manage to choke through the pain.

Stefan looked at the girl. Before allowing her to sit next to him in the backseat. "Please! Can you bring my car?" Elena said as she looked at Mr. Bennett. He nodded. "The keys are in the car," she said as she led Damon's head to her shoulder. She kissed the top of his head as she wrapped her arms around him. He winced in pain but closed his eyes as he felt her fingers work through one side of his head.

She had a whole new respect for him. He had not even thought once about his life when he jumped in front of the untamed wolf to save her. She murmured words of comfort to him. She knew he must be in pain.

Damon's face was pale and eyes barely fluttered at the sound of her voice. He could feel her tears dropping on his hands that were tightly clasped in hers. She was offering comfort to him in every way. Her presence, her words, and her touch.

A deep, primal terror took over, like a nightmare she felt sick and scared. She cried for his pain, but he didn't even flinch. He was trying to show he was strong. She just wanted him to be okay now. She would give anything to get her witty, persistent, cocky and annoying vampire back. In that brief time, she couldn't imagine a world without him.

..

..

He was okay now. Elena finally knew the cure for the werewolf bite now. Blood from a Bennett witch or spell caster. Damon's face was finally healing even though there were still bite marks on his handsome face. He was sleeping peacefully on his bed while she sat next to him. Stefan paced around the room glancing at his brother now and then.

"You should go now," Stefan said for the umpteenth time now.

"I told you already that I am not going until he tells me to go," Elena snapped back at him.

"You didn't seem to show this concern a few days ago when he was begging you to meet him," Stefan hissed at her.

"That is between Damon and I. You have no right to interfere"

"I will interfere. He is my brother and I won't let you play him." Stefan growled at her.

"I am not playing him. He means a lot to me. I care about him," Elena hissed back. She looked taken aback by her own statement. Did she just admit that she cared about her family's worst enemy? Of course, she did. She wouldn't be crying over his head if she didn't care.

"Do you really mean that?" she heard a weak hoarse voice from Damon's mouth. A slight smile on his face but his eyes still closed. "You're awake," Both Stefan and Elena said at the same time.

"Can't sleep with you two growling over my head," he said with a slight chuckle.

"I will get you some blood. You will need that a lot to recover," Stefan said as he vamp sped out of the room.

"Do you mean it? You care about me?" he asked as his eyes opened.

There was no denying it. She did care about him. She nodded. He grinned. "I knew it."

"What?"

"You will eventually fall. I knew there was no way you could stand my charm and my personality," he said very arrogantly as he tried to sit up.

"Amazing," Elena said shaking her head.

"What?"

"You almost died an hour ago yet your ego level and conceitedness level stays the same…" she said brushing hair out of his eyes, carefully, not touching his wound.

"I am not conceited. I am just convinced that I am better than everyone else in the world," he said relishing her touch.

"You act like your arrogance is a virtue." She replied smirking, running fingers through his hair.

"Don't act like you're not impressed." He said with a chuckle.

"Your head is so far up your ass," she replied with a sigh.

"Ahh…the sexual tension. I can feel it," he said as he tried to move but groaned immediately. "Hey! Hey! Don't move. You need blood to recover," she said as she motioned him to stay still. Damon closed his eyes as Elena ran her fingers through his soft raven locks.

Damon felt slight tears on his scalp. "You're crying."

"You're in pain because of me," she said looking down.

"I am not feeling pain anymore. Look! I am healing," he said as he tried to get up.

"Don't lie to me. I don't know how but it's like I can feel it. Your pain…" she whispered as her face scrunched up in pain.

"I am healing. I will be okay in an hour or so," he tried to comfort her. His throat was dry and he needed blood. Lots of blood. Somehow, Elena's blood smelled so appealing to him in the moment. Maybe, he was just too thirsty. She smelled delicious. The fragrance of her blood was driving him insane.

"Get a hold of yourself," his screamed at himself internally. Vampire blood sharing was strictly only for spouses and mates. He shouldn't even think about her blood.

"Here," Stefan zoomed in with a teenage boy on his side. "This is the strongest one I could find for now," Stefan said as he offered the boy's wrist to Damon. He hesitantly looked at Elena. He didn't want her to see the monster side of him. She was pure. Unlike him, she never hurt anyone. She shouldn't see him like this.

"Go ahead," Elena said as she helped him up.

"Are you sure you're not uncomfortable?" he asked.

"Drink," she ordered him dismissing his question. It was as if his body was on autopilot. His fangs sprung out and he plunged them into the boy's wrist.

..

..

He was perfectly healed now as if he had never been bitten. It was past midnight now. She remembered the reasons she was here in the first place. She was here to end things with him. But sitting near him while he showed her his sketches she couldn't even consider ending things with him.

Somehow, his near death experience had made her realize that she wasn't ready to remove him from her life. Damon Salvatore had unexpectedly come into her life and now he was slowly making his way to her heart. She felt something very strong for him. A supernatural pull. She didn't just like him. She felt something stronger than just attraction. But what her heart dimly dictated, her pride just as persistently opposed.

"You haven't told Jenna you're here. Right?" he asked when he felt she wasn't into their conversation. "Is that why you're worried or are you still in aftershocks of the attack?" he asked his hand clasping hers tightly.

"No…It's o.k."

"I will be having a very serious talk with Mason regarding this. It's his second slip this week," Damon said strictly. "The mature wolves can control themselves. We have a batch of young ones we are training these days. The wolf that attacked us must be one of the new ones. The old ones won't dare touch a hair on your head," he added with a slight insecurity. He wanted her to know he could protect her.

"Yes! About that...you jumped in front of the wolf without thinking twice. You could have died if he aimed for your throat," Elena said to him, anger in her tone.

"I couldn't have let him hurt you," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Even at the expense of your life?" she said frowning.

"Always," he said without thinking twice.

"So! If it ever comes down to your life and my life…" she didn't even finish when he answered. "I will choose yours in a heartbeat," he said with a determined look.

She got up, pushing his hand away. "Why?" she said facing away from him.

"Because I feel something very strong for you. I…I think I am falling-"

"No! Don't go there. I don't know why you keep saying this. I have done nothing but hurt you and reject you," she said confused by his answer.

"And I have kept annoying you and pestering you to accept me even if you have said otherwise because you are scared," he replied getting up, standing behind her.

"To be honest when you ignore me it drives me crazy. I want you and I have already told you that you're mine. And I know this is unfair to you seeing as you aren't getting a choice. But it's not my fault. You just somehow pull me toward you. I want you more than I have wanted any woman in my life. And I always get what I want," he said stepping toward her.

"This can't work, Damon," Elena said before he could tempt her more with his words.

"No! No! No! You're not gonna deny your feelings for me. You were crying your eyes out when I got hurt. That proves that you feel as much for me as I do for you."

"I am not denying any feelings. I already told you that I do feel a lot for you and I do care about you more than I should but…"

"But what Elena? You want it. I want it. What's stopping you?" he said in frustration.

She couldn't tell him why. She couldn't tell him she was his enemy and he wasn't supposed to feel anything other than disdain for her.

"I know why! Someone broke your heart before." He said and she looked at him. He was figuring out his own explanation. "And now you're scared to take a chance again." He said looking at her. He moved closer and cupped her face.

"Whoever hurt you didn't know what he was missing. He left you, not me. He hurt you, not me. I shouldn't get punished for something someone else did," he said as he brushed her hair from her face. She didn't correct him. His explanation for her lack of response to their relationship was better than hers anyway.

In his mind, he was losing her. He was trying everything to convince her to be with him. Especially, now that he knew he was _in love_ with her.

"I am not punishing you," she managed to choke out. She couldn't find voice enough to speak properly when he was looking so intensely at her.

"Being away from you is punishment," he replied caressing her cheek with his thumb. "Pure cruel torture," he added, dropping his forehead on hers.

"Damon, I-"

"Just give me a chance. I don't want a fling. I am serious about this. About us. If you give me a chance I will protect you and keep you safe. No matter what happens, I'll never make you feel lonely or hurt you. You already mean so much to me. You have no idea how much I…how much I need you. I want to call you mine in public. Elena, I want you exclusively, " he said earnestly as he circled his arms around her waist, bringing her closer.

"I…I…I don't know what to say," she said looking down. "I know that you're serious about this but Damon there is so much you don't know about me and…" she trailed off hearing his annoyed his.

"Stop making lame excuses, Elena. It's either you want me too or you don't and by want I mean "to stay with me and be mine" just like I want to be yours…exclusively."

She still didn't look up. Her hands were on his chest drawing circles with her fingers dialing up his fervor.

"Just answer me. Do you want this or not? Yes or no?" he said looking hopefully at her.

"I…"

"Yes or no?" he demanded again. She looked up and held his gaze. His eyes were hopeful but there was a slight insecurity and fear of rejection there too. She wanted a relationship with him. She knew by now that what she felt for him was more than attraction but she couldn't admit it because it was wrong. She couldn't possibly backstab both him and her family.

"Elena?" he asked, again. His face scrunched up in pain as he took her silence as rejection. His grip on her waist loosened. He felt so much anger and pain inside of him. He even felt tears spring to his eyes but he held them back.

"Yes," the words flew from her mouth.

His head shot up.

"I want this," she replied her hands trailed from his chest to his recently healed cheeks. Without so much as a sound of warning his lips crashed on hers with a possessive force.

"You have done it, Baby Vamp," he said as he smiled into her mouth before reclaiming her mouth again. "Now, you are stuck with me whether you like it or not," he added as he pushed her slightly toward the bed. "And you're only mine. I mean it. I just recently learned that I am not that great at sharing. You're mine. Got it?" he added as his hands ran down her body. She moaned in appreciation. He bit her lips to force her to open them, ramming his tongue into her mouth, sparring with hers and taking her breath away.

He pulled her button-up shirt off her shoulders, pushed her arms down so it slid off her onto the floor, then shrugged out of his own. He stared at the feast of a woman in front of him and nearly dropped to his knees. He had been with countless women but she was something else. She meant something. He wasn't just having sex. He was making love to her. Her long hair covered the top of her breasts that threatened to spill out of her bra. The sight made him so hard he felt like he had a steel rod between his legs. He debated in his mind to take the thing off her or not. Since the sight was driving him insane. He brushed her hair out of the way.

He reached out to her and embraced her to his heart, covering her lips, her face, her neck with light tender kisses. His lips trailed up to her lips to her cheeks and then to her eyes. The eyes that he was obsessed with. He kissed them tenderly. His hands trailed down to her. She bit at his lips and moaned as he pulled off her jeans. She gulped when he clasped her hands and silently argued with her to remove his.

She fumbled with his belt before she took it off. She could feel his hardness against her as he pressed himself to her. "You mean the world to me," he whispered to her as he sucked on her neck. "The first time I held you, I knew you were my one and only for me." His velvety voice coursed through her ears and made her weak in the knees. Her hands laid on his torso. His hands trailed down her arms and held her hands again, pleading her silently to remove the last article of clothes he was wearing.

Ever so shyly, she unzipped his pants. He looked at her shy expression as she pulled his pants down. He stepped out of them, looking at her as if she was his prey. Her breathing became ragged. She gulped audibly as he pushed her onto the bed, crawling on top of her. "Mine," he said almost sadistically as his hands roamed down her body.

His lips reclaimed hers before they trailed down from her chin to her neck. He set his mouth to a nipple, breathing on it. It seemed to swirl something deep and primal inside her. She moaned loudly when he began sucking. She pressed herself up against him, fitting one hand under her breast and urging more of it into his mouth. He sucked them and kneaded them as he enjoyed her soft moans. He took his time as he suckled each nipple with a force that generated shock waves rippling down to her toes. He smirked at the thought that everyone in the boarding house could hear her moans. Good! Everyone needed to know that only he could make her moan like that.

His lips trailed down past her flat stomach to her underwear. He removed her underwear and threw it as if he hated it. "Oh God! I want you so bad," he whispered as he pressed her clit hard with his nose. "Please…" she whispered. Wrapping her legs around him, he inhaled the heady scent. He thanked whatever positive force out there who made her for him. She was perfect. And she was his. He kissed her thighs before he nuzzled her clit. "Please," she whispered again. His mouth was sucking and nibbling her in every way possible. She moaned and thrashed furiously until she came with a loud cry.

He climbed on top of her. "My turn," she said with a devilish smile as she flipped them, straddling him. She pressed soft kisses down his body until she was kneeling between his legs, praising each part as she moved. He savored the feel for her, her kisses causing electrical ripples down his body. She finally removed his boxers with confidence. That was new because until now his doe-eyed vampire was awfully shy.

Without any warning, she lowered her head and took his length into her mouth. He felt breathless, caged and needy. He wanted her too much to wait any longer. She sucked as much of his very impressive length inch by inch into her mouth as she could possibly fit and hollowed her cheeks. "Oh God! Baby vamp," he groaned, brushing his fingers through her hair.

"Baby, you need to…you need to stop that if you don't want it to end," he said as he pulled her away. Her eyes were lust filled. He groaned as he flipped them, crawling on top of her.

"Are you sure?" he whispered before as he pinned her hands to her either side. Not that he could possibly stop now.

"I need you."

"Say it again."

"I want you," she said as her lips traveled his temple. "There is no going back after this. I am not gonna ever let you go," he whispered.

"I don't want you to let me go."

"Say it."

"I want you."

"Not that…say that you're mine."

"I am yours."

"Again," he growled as he sucked on her neck.

"I am yours," she said closing her eyes.

He couldn't take it anymore. "Enough talk," he growled. He gripped her small waist as he thrust inside of her inch by inch. They moaned loudly in unison. For a long, timeless moment she just stayed there, feeling his fullness inside her, filling her completely. It seemed perfect. Like they were made just for each other. How was that even possible? He thrust again up into her and there was a place somewhere inside her, that was catching fire. She started writhing beneath him. He pinned her still as he continued his slow deep strokes.

"This was what was I used to think of whenever you would talk back to me. Whenever you fought with me. Every time you rejected me. I knew I would get you. Baby, you're mine. Mine, mine, all mine," he said frantically as his paced increased.

"I wanted you too…so bad," she whispered back. "You mean so much to me," she added as she kissed his neck. His pace increased as he started feeling the muscles of her inner body clutch him. She fit him like a glove. She was made for him. He thought. He rammed deep inside her, her orgasm there to greet him, her clit started twitching around him. He continued to thrust himself inside her, claiming her forever. He continued until he rode out his orgasm.

He fell on top of her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She kept running her fingers through his hair _. I love you._ He wanted to say it to her but he was afraid she would run away. It felt like it took an eternity to convince her to be in a relationship with him. He could imagine her shock if he told her that. He couldn't. For now, he would just stay happy with having her exclusively. He had an eternity to tell her how much he loved her.

For the first time, Elena didn't care about the rules or her family. She wanted this man and she wanted to be with him. This was selfish. But he made her feel things no one else made her feel. He made her so happy and he was crazy about her. He wanted this too. She knew the future right now was very unpredictable but she didn't care. For now, she would just enjoy being in his arms. With that thought, she fell asleep with her enemy on top of her.

..

..

 _Beta Credits: Alta Beron. You did a great job!_

 _Review?_


	9. Her Psycho Lover

**Chapter 8: 'Her Psycho Lover'**

* * *

Elena woke up with sun rays on her face. Eyes popping open, she turned her head as she felt an arm draped around her waist. Damon's eyes were still tightly shut. He looked so peaceful. Despite her instinct of caution, she realized she could get used to waking up beside this man every morning. Her hand lingered on his face, lovingly.

She felt a strange force drawing her to him. He willingly jumped in front of the wolf to save her. He was strong, kind and nothing like her family use to tell her about Rippers and their crazy chief. _**Her family**_ …Her eyes widened as she realized what she had just done. Heat flamed her face. She just bedded her family's worst enemy. Her hand dropped to her side as the horror of the crime she committed numbed her senses.

She untangled her legs from his. "Oh God," she murmured as she carefully and very silently jumped out of the bed without waking him up. What had she done? Brushing her hair back, she collected her clothes.

She had to get out of here. She had already done a lot of damage. Her clan would kill both of them for this crime. Female vampires from the opposite clans weren't supposed to be even in the same room as their enemy clan, let alone sleep with them. She shrugged on her shirt, buttoning the three lower buttons and pulled on her pants. She needed to leave before he wakes up. She needed to disappear and never see him again.

She briefly remembered agreeing to be in an exclusive relationship with him. Fuck! She was going to sneak out on a guy who saved her life and expressed deep feelings for her. She already felt guilty for what she was about to do. She was going to break his heart. But she didn't have a choice. It was either break his heart or start a war. She didn't want any of her family to ever get hurt because of her. And in some corner of her heart, she didn't want Damon to get hurt either. This, whatever she had with Damon wasn't worth that much aggravation. It wasn't worth his life. It wasn't worth backstabbing her family. She walked to his closet and searched for her old clothes that she left the first time she was here.

He had mentioned that last time he tracked her down by the essence of her clothes. She wasn't going to leave anything of hers behind this time. Without her scent, the witch can't track her down. She was going to leave for Duke today anyway and was probably not going to return 'till Christmas. That was four months from now. Damon would forget about her till then. Won't he? A sudden sadness coursed through her veins but she suppressed the heartache. She found her carefully folded blood stained white shirt and jeans she had worn the first time she was here.

She picked it and closed the closet. Damon was still sleeping. She walked to him and looked at him one last time. "I am so sorry," she whispered. She wanted to touch his face and savor the feel of him against her but she restrained herself. She couldn't. She had to leave. She vamp sped out of his room to the front door. Mr. Bennett had given her the car keys back, last night. She had everything she needed. She felt a gush of wind past her. She looked back, unsure. Spinning around, she collided with someone's hard chest.

"Leaving so soon," an angry dark velvety voice asked.

She looked up and nearly fell back if it weren't for his fast reflexes. He gripped her by her back. Her clothes that she stole from his closet fell from her hands to her side. His eyes darted to them.

"I was…"

"Yes, please enlighten me with all the reasons as to why you were sneaking out on me," Damon said as he circled his arms around her waist.

"I wasn't sneaking out," she tried to lie.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You just lost something."

"What?"

"My respect for you when you tried to sneak out on me," he said, seething.

"I didn't mean to hurt you…it's just that…I need to go."

"So that's it. I was just a Disney world ride for you," he said, his eyes blazing. "You told me last night that you wanted this. You wanted something sustainable with me," he reminded her.

"You don't understand, Damon. Yes, I want this. But this will never work," she said as she tried to create distance between them. Already, his fragrance was intoxicating her to the point where she couldn't think rationally anymore.

"I know that you are scared because of your past. I completely understand. But Elena, I feel so much more for you. I could never hurt-," he tried to hold her again.

"It's not that Damon," she said looking away. "I am moving away with my family to another state." She added.

"Where are you going? Or is that another excuse for you to leave me," he asked, with dread in his voice. He knew it. She was only lying so he would leave her alone. God! This girl was making him work so hard for her. But she was worth it.

"Damon, It's not gonna work."

"How would we know if we don't give it a chance?" he said almost pleading. "Please! Just give us a chance," he almost begged as he reached out for her and hugged her. She hugged him back, biting her lower lip. "Okay," she agreed.

He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the feeling. Snuggling into his broad chest, Elena put her arms around him and hugged him close. Earning herself a purr coming deep from his chest. They stayed there for several minutes not saying anything because they didn't have to. He hugged her against his chest more tightly than he needed, enjoying her softness. There was something so intimate about holding each other so close.

"But I really do need to go," Elena said and he groaned. "Why?"

"Jenna will be waiting," Elena made an excuse.

"Call her and tell her that you're spending the day with your boyfriend," he said as he nuzzled her neck.

"Why do you want me to stay?" she said as she enjoyed the brush of his lips against her neck.

"Is that really a question? I want to stay close to you. I really want you to stay around. It's not just the relationship I want with you. I'd like to become your best friend; take you to dinner; show you around the area; show you off to all my clan, show you all my favorite things, hold you close to me." He said squeezing her close to him, his hands trailing down her back to her hips.

"If you could feel even an ounce of the happiness I feel when I am around you…you would know how much you mean to me," he added after a while.

She laughed slightly forgetting completely about her previous plan to escape. Her stomach growled loudly.

She pulled back with an embarrassed look. "I haven't eaten since yesterday," she said, red with awkwardness.

"When was that last time you fed?" he asked in a tone laced with worry.

"Yesterday, breakfast," she said thinking deep.

"I have some blood bags in my fridge. You can feed off them," he said as he held her wrist and led her to the kitchen.

Blood bags reminded her of blood. And blood reminded Elena of her family that trusted her more than life itself. She felt guilty again.

"I…I actually need to go."

"I thought we decided that you're staying here for the day," he said, annoyed.

"I would love to but Jenna and Jeremy would be worried. So maybe some other time," she said yanking her wrist away but not harshly. He made a grab for her other wrist. "We are okay, right?" he asked. Her behavior confused him. One minute she was open and warm and the next second she would be panicking and scared.

"Yes…we are okay."

"And together? We are together now?"

"Yes."

"You're not going to back off?"

"I won't," she promised. "It's getting late," she said as she tugged her wrist again. He caught the other one again. "Promise?"

"Yes. Absolutely, I see us being together. As long as you want." She said with a shy smile. "Now…I have to go. Jen would already be pretty pissed. I lost my phone when I was running from um…that wolf. And then what with you getting hurt, I totally forgot to inform her." She tried to explain.

He nodded as he let go of her wrist and moved closer to her. He cupped her face and kissed her tenderly on her lips. "Have a safe journey," he said against her lips. She kissed him back as if on instinct.

"I wanna meet Jenna," he added as his hands crept to her hips.

"You have already met Jenna."

"As your boyfriend."

She let out a giggle. "It's too soon to meet parents…"

"Yeah but I wanna see where you live now," he said.

"I will invite you over soon."

"You better! If you don't want me to track you down," he said narrowing his eyes.

"You're such a psycho," she said rolling her eyes.

"You do that to me. You make me like this..." He said dropping his forehead to hers. _Your Psycho lover_ he added in his mind.

"I got to go," she said with a sigh and he groaned.

"I already miss you," he said as his grip on her tightened. He didn't know why but he felt as if a piece of him was breaking every time she said that.

She had to force her eyes to look away from his intense gaze. She leaned in capturing his lips in a kiss. The heat of her mouth warmed him to his soul. His emotions were on overdrive. Everything he felt for her seemed ten times stronger than it was before. He unwillingly pulled away from her. He didn't want to let her go. She was always so uncertain. Always confused and scared. Whoever broke her heart had completely ruined her capability to trust. He hated that person with a passion. He didn't want to press her to tell him about her relationships of the past. He could wait to have the awkward "ex talk". Besides, she was his now and no jerk from her past could ruin that.

His eyes scanned her face. Her cheeks were tinted red from blushing so much, her lips were swollen from his continuous assaults on them. And her eyes. The eyes he loved. The eyes he obsessed over for two years now. Her long, thick lashes framing her rich brown eyes batted furiously. He felt frustrated. Couldn't she see how much he loved her? Did he really have to spell it out for her and explain why he was so crazy about her? Did he really need to say out loud?

It was better in a way. He knew she would run the other way if she found out he felt more than a crazy attraction to her. Male Vampires falling in love wasn't exactly what anyone would want.

"Don't forget to call me," he instructed as he unwillingly unwrapped his arms around her.

"I won't," she said with a grin as she kissed him on the cheek before she spun around.

"I mean it, Baby Vamp." He called after her.

"I know…" she said as she discreetly picked up her clothes from the floor where her vampire admirer had caught her from escaping just a few moments ago.

She could hear his footsteps approaching her. She walked out towards the driveway. She threw her clothes in the car before spinning around to face him. "Bye," she said with a slight grin.

"Bye," he replied holding the door of the car open for her.

She jumped in. He closed the door after her. "Hey…Take my phone," he said stopping her when she started her car. "You lost your phone. Call me anytime you need my help. I don't care if I'm sleeping or I am busy or I'm mad at you. If you need me or if you need to talk to me _. I will always be there for you._ No matter how small or big the problem is,"

"It's ok. I will buy one on my way home." She said shaking her head as she tried to calm her racing heart. Why did he have to be so perfect? He was making leaving him so difficult.

"You will take ages. It's easy if you take mine." He insisted. It was like he could sense her confusion and slight heartache.

"Damon, It's no-."

"Just take it, Baby Vamp," he hissed, annoyed.

She huffed and took it.

"Now! You don't have an excuse for not calling me," he said under his breath.

"You're already too clingy," she said pouting.

"Can't help it...you're just too delicious," he said as he nipped for another kiss. She placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I gotta go."

"Then go."

With a sigh, she restarted the car engine. "Bye."

"Bye, Baby Vamp," he said waving at her playfully as she pulled the car out of the driveway.

..

..

It took an hour for her to reach her apartment. Caroline was already waiting for her like an angry mother. "Nick's home," she informed as she entered.

"I will get ready."

"No need."

"huh?"

"Change of plans. We will be dropping you at Duke after three days. We are going to a family dinner with the Smiths tomorrow," she added, eyeing Elena, scanning her.

"Ok…"

"You were with him last night," Caroline stated circling her.

"I can explain."

"I called you countless times," Caroline added in a dead calm tone.

"Oh…you have no idea what happened."

"I can't wait for an explanation."

Elena explained everything to Caroline from how she got lost to how the wolf attacked her to how Damon saved her and almost died trying.

"You should have left him there," Caroline interrupted.

"Are you crazy? Why the hell would I do that? He saved my life," Elena said, appalled by the idea.

"He is our enemy."

"He saved me without thinking twice about myself. Why the hell would I leave him to die?" Elena raged back. The idea of leaving Damon to die was simply disgusting. So what if he was her enemy. Every life mattered. She reasoned with herself. She saved him because of that and not because she was insanely attracted to him and had willingly jumped into bed with him because of the crazy insane attraction to him _. Sure, keep lying to yourself._ A voice in her mind mocked her.

"Are you sure you saved him because of he saved you and not because you're falling for him?" Caroline spoke what she was dreading.

Elena recoiled like she had been slapped. "No…No…Not at all."

"Just admit it, Elena. You're falling for him. You're falling for that prick who wants to destroy your family. Admit it!" Caroline seethed.

"No! No! I won't," Elena said getting up.

"You won't. What? You won't admit it or you won't fall for him?"

"Care! He is just a dream. He means nothing to me. My family is way more important to me then a Ripper I met two weeks ago. The only reason I spent time with him is because he forced me to." She said it more to herself then Caroline.

She couldn't be falling for him, right? She couldn't fall for her enemy. Her family was important. Her clan was more important. Besides, Damon didn't even know about this side of her. He would hate her too if he found out that she was an _Original_. And most importantly, she will be betraying her own brother if she fell for a Ripper.

Just then her phone buzzed. The phone Damon gave her just an hour ago.

"It doesn't matter…I am never gonna meet him ever again," Elena said after a second, leaving the phone to ring.

"It's him. Isn't it?" Caroline said peeking to see who called.

She nodded. "He gave me this phone since I lost mine," she said as she threw her phone at the wall as fast as she could, breaking it into several pieces. Caroline winced, slightly.

"I don't understand. If you broke things off with him then why is he calling you?"

"I was supposed to break up with him but I…I ended up sleeping with him," Elena admitted in front of Caroline.

Caroline gasped in horror. "Noo!"

"Why the hell would you do that? Why the hell would you sleep with him?"

"I wasn't thinking clearly. I…I slipped," she tried to make an excuse. "He was saying things and I got lost-."

"There is more to the story isn't there?"

"I might have agreed to be in an exclusive relationship with him too," Elena said slyly.

"What the actual fuck? Honey! You are so not going to be in a relationship with that psycho who is obsessed with you."

Elena paced around the room as she remembered the events from the last night. The way he touched her, the way he looked at her and the way he kissed her. She shook her head to get out of the trance.

"It's over. I will be leaving for Duke in three days and that psycho will never be able to find me again."

"You said he had a witch who tracked you down last time when you ignored that psycho," Caroline said, almost shivering in fear. This was bad. Very bad. If Klaus ever finds out about this he will hate her. She and Elena would be in so much trouble.

"The witch needs my scent…my essence to track me down. I stole my clothes back," Elena replied.

Caroline sighed in relief. "Thank God."

"So this is it. His chapter is finally over for good."

"Yes. It's over for good," Elena replied. She felt a twinge of sadness but she ignored the heartache. This was for the best.

..

..

"Not again," Damon said as she didn't respond to his texts again.

Elena's phone was switched off again. She just loved to torture him. He felt dark and gloomy again. He craved her company. He wanted to hear her voice. She had promised him that she would call him. It's been a whole day since the last time he talked to her. He wanted to give her space. She had after all assured him they were together now. She had promised him she was his. He shouldn't be worried. Maybe, she was just busy with her family. He will just call her tomorrow morning if she didn't reply to his texts.

Enzo and Stefan were working on another training strategy while Bonnie was meditating. He noticed Enzo's eyes fall on Bonnie now and then. He had a faint smile on his face. Enzo's face reflected the peace Bonnie was feeling. Mating Bonds always surprised Damon. Their scary crazy level of connection and dependence on each other scared him sometimes. The way they felt each other's pain. The way they could provide each other peace by the mere presence of each other. Their happy relationship was his goal. He wanted that type of relationship with his doe-eyed vampire. He was new to this department. He had never felt like this.

"Enzo…" he said once Enzo was done with his discussion.

"I need a bit of help," he whispered, making sure none of the other vampires would hear him. It was embarrassing already.

Enzo narrowed his eyes, suspiciously.

"You know about Elena and umm…me. Right?"

"Of course, I do," Enzo replied with a smirk. "We are actually obsessed with discussing your failed attempts to woo her. We laugh over how she shoots you down over a glass of wine," he replied as he snickered.

"Being a dick won't make yours bigger," Damon hissed, annoyed.

"What do you want? Chief!"

"Ok…but you have to swear that you won't tell anyone about this," Damon said insecurity and shyness visible his tone. He was a ladies' man but he sucked at making this girl fall for him. Enzo had a successful relationship with Bonnie. He easily got her to agree to the mating bond. He might have some useful tricks up his sleeve.

"How…How do you manage with Bon-Bon? I mean, how does this relationship thing work?" he asked looking around making sure so no one was looking.

"Ahh. You have come to the right place, Damon. I can give you valuable advice. You see, women don't want much. They only want your time…your attention, your space, your food, your shirts, your bed, your blanket, your Facebook password, your dick, your credit card, your life, your soul and your peace…" he trailed off as he dodged a cushion Bonnie threw at him.

"He isn't serious, Right?" Damon asked Bonnie with horror-struck eyes. Elena was already high maintenance. Would she really demand all these things from him?

"You have to struggle for the one you love," Bonnie replied, eyes closed as she tried to meditate.

"He isn't in love with her," Stefan said looking up from his model. "He just met her two weeks ago."

"Actually…I think I am," he replied with a slight hesitation.

"You just met her like two weeks ago. You can't possibly be in love." Enzo said incredulously as if the idea was unbelievable.

"How much time did it take for you to know Bonnie was the one?"

"3 seconds after I saw her. I knew she was it for me," he said winking at a flushed Bonnie. She smirked.

"I remember that. Every time I turned around. He would be there. Crept the hell out of me. I had to fry his brains to keep him away from me," Bonnie mumbled as she rose up.

"It's a supernatural connection. You were made for me. Not even God can get in my way to you," Enzo said as he walked toward her.

"The pull of the blood," Bonnie said, smirking. "Vampires are weird," she added.

"Elena's blood sings for me," Damon finally said the inevitable.

That snapped both the lovebirds out of their trance. Different emotions passed through their faces. Surprise, understanding and then sympathy because both of them knew being in love for a vampire was tough. Love wasn't supposed to be a blessing for them. Even love for the creatures of the dark was a curse. It was an emotion stronger than any other they felt. It drove them insane. They would feel overwhelming happiness if they got their love. And devastating agony if they didn't. And the worst was one sided love. It hurt like a bitch.

"That explains why you kept seeing her in your dreams," Bonnie said nodding. "Her blood was reaching out for you. It was making you aware of her existence. Her blood was calling for you. That kind of thing happens only once in a century." Bonnie explained. She had heard about that kind of love. She had studied about that kind of bond.

"Your bond will be stronger than anyone else's here," she added.

"Like she will ever agree," Damon scoffed. "It took me one week to even convince her to go out with me. She will bolt the second I tell her that I am in love with her," he said almost gloomily.

"She has to know that. Before your inner instincts starts taking over your senses," Enzo said, concerned.

"She did agree to be with me now. She said she wants to be in a genuine sustainable relationship with me. I will convince her in time. I just think it's too soon," Damon said as he opened a bourbon bottle and poured its contents into a glass.

"I can control my inner male ego," he added confidently.

"Sure you can," Enzo said, shuddering as he remembered his time. Things were getting more complicated with every second.

"Remember how you made fun of me when I told you how desperately I wanted this woman here and you made fun of me," Enzo reminded as he circled his arm around Bonnie's waist. "Well I am going to enjoy your pain and the best part is the girl you love doesn't even like you. It's going to be so much fun watching your failed attempts to woo the girl," he added with a smirk. Bonnie elbowed him.

"She _does_ like me," Damon defended himself. "Didn't you hear the noises that came from our bedroom a night ago?"

Enzo and Bonnie made a disgusted face. "Yeah, there is gonna be a lot more where that came from. I think you two better move out and find a place of your own," he suggested with a smirk.

"No! We will stay. You will need us when you go all crazy after your alter-ego takes over your senses," Bonnie said as she walked toward the bookshelf.

"It's going to be so much fun watching you struggle with your inner demon which in your case would be stronger than any of ours, like Bonnie said," Enzo said taking the glass. "Stronger the bond…the stronger the demon's instincts," he added.

"à votre santé," (cheers) Enzo said as he raised the glass.

"Va' a farti fottere,"(go fuck yourself) he replied, with a grim face.

..

..

Just one day before she goes to Duke. She will leave all this for good. Isobel was introducing her to a lot of ladies from her club. She really enjoyed being powerful. Being a wife of an Original had its perks. You were treated like royalty.

"Elijah is standing over there. Go talk to him." Her mother whispered in her ear.

"He seems busy," Elena refused.

Just then Elijah looked at her and smiled. She smiled back, hesitantly. "Go talk to him," her mother pestered.

"Everyone in the clan has been talking about you and Elijah lately," Isobel informed as she worked her fingers through Elena's locks. "His clan is even more powerful than Marcel's," her mum added.

"So," Elena said rolling her eyes.

"So, it would be good for our clan if our two clans unite. It will raise our position in the council as well," her mum added, excitedly.

"That's what I am to you? A means for more power," Elena said frowning.

"Stop being so melodramatic, Honey," Her mum snapped at her. "He is coming over here. Smile!" she added in a hushed tone.

"Mr. Smith."

"Can I steal Elena for a moment?" he asked, kindly.

"She is all yours," Isobel said with a slight giggle and walked away. Elijah looked at her sternly. "I kept calling you yesterday. I even stopped by your apartment. Where were you yesterday?" Elijah demanded.

"Uh…I was with Caroline," she lied through her teeth.

"Caroline and Devina were at Kol's place. I know because I dropped Freya there yesterday. You promised to go do some girls thing with her last week," Elijah reminded her and she nearly face palmed. She completely forgot her plans with Elijah's sister.

"Where were you? Elena," Elijah asked.

"I just needed some time alone," Elena said looking away. She had been lying a lot these days. "I totally forgot my plans with your sister. I am really sorry. Let me go apologize to her," Elena said as she scanned for Freya. "It's ok. I have already taken care of that. I told her that you were busy with your mum," Elijah said holding her wrist. This gesture awfully reminded her of someone. Someone, she had been missing too much.

She pulled her wrist away slightly. "I wanted to talk to you... about us," he added, coyly. She smiled hesitantly as they walked toward the terrace. She stayed with him for the rest of the dinner. He was very charming and considerate. He told her about himself. Stories of his past. Almost everything about him. She listened to him with a soft smile playing on her face. He was an amazing man. Too bad her heart didn't want him. It wanted someone else. It yearned for someone she could never have. She suddenly felt sadness and desperation to see her electric blue eyed, extremely arrogant vampire.

..

..

Damon's room was dark, just as he felt at this time. He felt groggy and confused. He mourned her absence in his bed. Elena still hasn't replied to his messages. He didn't even know where she lived. She had lied to him again. She promised him they were okay. He should have known better. She was already going back on her word.

"Why is she doing this to me?" he whispered to himself.

He felt depressed and demoralized. She totally blew him off. He felt so bad. It really hurt him. The worst thing about falling in love was the demand to be loved back just as much. He wanted so desperately to see her and talk with her. He wanted to hug her and just be around her. He felt swallowed up in the floral scent that he always associated with her.

He wanted so badly to hate her for all this, for putting him through so much torture, but whenever he thought about her face and her honey brown eyes he thought that he actually felt his heart beating again. Everything in his being was screaming out for him to break out of his room, find her, kidnap her, bring her back here and lock her in his room. Enzo was right, his inner demon was driving him crazy. He just had to have her.

He squeezed his eyes shut, recalling their lovemaking he so desperately craved at this moment. That's it. He wanted her right now. He vamp sped to his closet, almost breaking it open. He scanned for her clothes. That little minx had stolen it from him. She knew he would track her down using her scent. Smart move. Too bad, she didn't know he had another way.

..

..

Klaus picked up Elena's luggage easily and walked behind her to her dorm. Caroline hot on his heels. "You're gonna stay here," he said making a disgusted face. He could easily buy her a house. Why live in a stupid dorm?

"Full college human experience," Elena reminded him.

"What's so good in being human?" Klaus said making a face.

"Don't bother, Honey. The man is a thousand years old. He can't possibly remember something that happened in stone age," she said as she stepped in front almost making Klaus fall on her feet. Elena helped him regain his balance.

"Don't make fun of my bro," Elena defended a pouty Klaus.

Klaus smirked as they entered her dorm. "Do you want me to help you set up?" Caroline asked.

"Please don't say yes. Somehow she will end up burning the place down to the ground." Klaus took a jibe at her. Caroline elbowed him. He faked getting hurt.

"I think I can manage," Elena said, giggling.

Klaus dropped her luggage on the ground. "I am still having doubtful thoughts about leaving you alone here," Klaus said seriously.

"Nick," Elena groaned.

"I will be visiting you every week," Klaus reminded her.

"You're so over protective," Elena said making a face. Klaus was very protective of her. He guarded her with his life. She felt so guilty thinking about her betrayal of her brother. She loved her family. She still couldn't believe she slept with her brother's enemy. She was the worst sister ever. But it was finally over. She would never go to that territory again.

"You're my little sister. It's my duty to protect you," Klaus said as he circled his arms around her.

"I love you, Nick," she whispered wrapping her arms around him.

"I love you too," he replied, smiling.

Caroline watched them with tear stained eyes. That's why she loved Nick. She loved how protective he was of his siblings. She loved his attachment to his family.

Elena felt immensely guilty now. She would never hurt him. Her brothers trusted her. She would never ever betray their trust. She decided firmly.

"No drama tears," Klaus warned as he pulled away. "Or I _will_ take you back home," he added and she smiled.

"Take care of mum and father. Give my love to Kol, Becky, Marcel, and Vena," she said wiping her tears.

"Ok, Mum," Klaus said, smirking.

"Take care, Baby Sis," He said cupping her face.

"I am so going to miss you, Honey," Caroline said as she hugged her. "Stay out of trouble," she added under her breath.

"You too," Elena added as she pulled back.

"Let's go," Klaus said holding Caroline's hand. "Take Care," he waved as he left with his mate, closing the door of her dorm after him.

..

..

Elena heard a knock on the door of her dorm. Nick had just left five minutes ago with a bucket full of advice. Was he back again? She must have forgotten something in the car.

"Don't tell me you are already here to take me back home, Nick?" she said smiling, opening the door. Her smile faltered.

The person in front of her wasn't her brother though. It was the person she had been avoiding running into. The person she swore she would never see again.

"Damon!"

His eyes were bloodshot. He looked ready to kill. The pain and disbelief in his eyes was crippling. Devastating. Damon looked at her as though she had betrayed him.

"Who is Nick?" he demanded his tone filled with raw jealousy as he advanced toward her.

"How the hell did yo-?"

"Bonnie tracked you," he said nonchalantly as he entered as if he owned the place.

"But I-."

"Stole your clothes. Yeah, she just needed your scent. It was all over my room, my sheets, my bed and me," he added.

She face-palmed. He got close, of course, he smelled of her. She looked at him with a weird face.

"He was here. Wasn't he? I can smell his fucking cologne on you," he said his eyes filled with possessiveness, disgust, and pain.

Damn, but he hated this seething jealousy that had him in its clutches. What was it about Elena that held his heart captive? Other than the fact that she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met? But there was more to her than physical attraction he felt for her. He loved her purity. He loved the rawness of emotions in her eyes. The soft looks she gave him whenever she let her guard down. Her shyness whenever he looked at her intently.

"Who the fuck is Nick?" he asked, practically seething. "Is he the reason why you haven't been answering my calls?" he added, furiously. "Who is Nick? I swear to God I will-." He trailed off.

"My brother," the words flew from her mouth before she could control them.

"Your brother is Jeremy," he said taking step towards her. She backed away reflexively. "He is the other one…my…my cousin brother," she said, scared of his dark looks. "Oh!" he looked taken aback. He just got jealous of her brother. She must think he is crazy. His desperation to be with her was driving him insane. Enzo was right. Being in love, for a vampire, wasn't easy. This was a curse if it was one sided. She noticed his eyes soften. "He is here. Umm… I should meet him then," he said nervously.

"Why?"

"It seems like he is pretty close to you. I am your boyfriend. Wouldn't your brother want to meet me?" he asked, confused.

"No-No! He is…He just left," she said. "Ummm…maybe next time," Damon said shrugging. Then his eyes blazed again. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he raged as he made a grab for her wrist.

"Why wouldn't you answer my calls?" he asked. She was about to tell him off. But when she looked into his eyes he stole her ability to talk or think rationally. "Don't tell me you are rethinking everything again," he said in a sad desperate tone.

She shook her head. What are you doing? She asked herself.

"I got caught up in other stuff," she said as she turned around. "Stuff more important than me?" he asked, hurt visible in his tone. The stormy depths of the blues in his eyes were wrecking her. "Just tell me! Why do you treat me like that? Why do you ignore me?" he asked, furious.

"What the hell do you want me to say?" she asked, as she tried to yank her hand away but his grip on her tightened.

"I understand that you didn't have a good experience with relationships before. But I am a completely different person than your ex. You should talk to me about your problems. Maybe, I can help. But instead, every time I turn around you're trying to ignore me. You're so desperate to escape from my clutches. Did you ever stop to think how I feel when you leave me?" he stopped.

"You make me want to die. You make me want to dig myself a grave and stake myself. What do I have to do to prove it to you that I am crazy about you? I will never hurt you. I will never leave you. Can't you just fucking trust me for once?" he said stepping closer toward her.

"I…I didn't know that you feel..." she said.

"So fucking crazy about you," he completed.

His desperation for her, his feelings for her surprised her. She got closer to him and cupped his face. He closed his eyes at the contact. She was standing so close to him. If he didn't kiss her soon, he might go crazy but if he kissed her she might become furious and accuse him of invading her space. A soft smile was playing on her face. Throwing her arms around his neck, she leaned in and kissed his lips furiously. He kissed her back with as much zeal. She unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders.

"I need to know that this is real?" he said in between kisses, breathing harshly. "Yes," she said as she covered his lips again. The touch ignited feelings deep within her. "How do I know you won't be running away after this? What if you regret it later?"

"I won't," she said as her lips trailed down his neck.

"Then say it," he said holding her still.

"I am yours."

"Yes, you will be mine and mine alone. You're trapped forever." He growled in her mouth.

Elena had her shirt ripped off from her body. His hands roamed down her, he hoisted her onto the counter and kissed her intently. He knew he might scare her off if she knew how bad he was in love with her. He swept her hard against him as he picked her up. Her delicious attack on his neck continued.

He placed her on the single bed and climbed on top of her. He kissed her jaw and finally pulled her pants off her before yanking his jeans down.

"I missed you so much," he whispered as her hands continued to roam his body.

He kissed her on her shoulders, making a trail of kisses from one shoulder to the other, stopping for a little nibble at her neck. He trailed kisses down her neck, and she arched to guide him to her lace covered breasts.

"We have to make this quick. I have to report to the head office." She whispered as she rubbed herself on him like a cat in heat.

"Oh! Baby It's going to take a while," he whispered and as he thrust inside her, she rocked back instinctively biting down a scream. The mindless lust in him calmed down for a second as he entered inside her. He continued slamming inside her with demanding and hungry flicks. With a silent cry, she got to her release while his seemed further away. Just when she thought, she couldn't take it anymore, he finally attained his release, squeezing his eyes tightly shut.

He fell on top of her, unmoving as she tried to even her harsh breathing. His weight on her didn't feel bad at all. "This must be what heaven feels like," he thought as he closed his eyes.

..

..

She laughed again. That happened a lot whenever she was with Damon. He was transparent. He didn't hide anything. He didn't keep grudges. He always spoke whatever was on his mind. He was an amazing person. He just knew how to make her happy.

She tried to make him leave after they had sex. But he flat out refused. "I want to spend time with you," he insisted as she dressed. He went with her when she registered for her courses. He came back with her and helped her set her dorm up.

It took a lot longer time than it would have taken if she unpacked alone. Probably because they somehow ended up kissing the hell out of each other after every five minutes.

"Don't you have to go?" she asked when she checked her wristwatch. It was nearly seven now.

His face fell slightly. "Why do you want me to go so bad?" he said biting his teeth.

"I…I don't want you to go. I was just asking…" she stammered. "Do you want to stay for the night?" she added to cheer him up.

"What about your roommate?"

"I don't have a roommate. I compelled the management to give me a solo room," she said smirking. "So staying tonight?"

"I don't want too… but I can be convinced," he said faking disinterest.

Circling her arms around his neck she backed him toward the bed before she pushed him on it. She crawled on top of him, dipping her face into his neck. He closed his eyes and found himself savoring her delicate touch. "I am definitely staying," he whispered as he inhaled the scent of her hair.

"Do you really care about me?" he asked running fingers through her hair.

"What brought this on?" she asked, hesitantly.

"You keep running away from me."

"It's not you…it's me," she tried to explain.

"That's the lamest thing that anyone could ever say and I hate that line," he hissed. "You are really complicated you know," he added, frowning but tightening his hold on her.

"You have lived thrice the age of my grandma. I am sure you must have come across more complicated women than me," Elena retorted. She hated when people called her complicated.

He hissed audibly. "First of all! Stop with the age jabs. I hate it when you do that. Secondly, you're the only woman I actually wanted throughout my one and a half century of life. It took me more than a century to find you and I am not letting you go no matter how messed up, crazy, annoying, high maintenance, and complicated a woman you are," he said as he nuzzled her neck.

"And secondly, I may look like an egotistical, crazy and cocky guy who doesn't give a damn about anything but it hurts like a bitch when you ignore me. I am seriously like an emotional porcupine, curled up in my bed, choking back tears every time you do that. So please, can you stop running away from me." He finally said what he been thinking the whole evening.

She let out a giggle again. "I promise I won't. How can I? When you're such an amazing person. I like you, you know."

"You do?" he asked, looking at her.

"Of course I do."

"What do you like about me? Tell me and I will keep doing that. So you will keep liking me and maybe we will turn into something more," he whispered kissing her fingertips.

She hid a smile, looking at him.

"Well! You're fun to be around-."

"Really? Fun to be around…yay! The girl I am crazy about thinks I am fun to be around. That's what every guy wants to hear," he mocked her, irritated by her answer. He was expecting something more than that.

Pushing her palm against his mouth to silence him. "Let me finish," she said. He nodded, not removing her palm.

"You're smart. You're very funny. You make me laugh like no one ever did. You're very cute… don't give me that look. Yes, you're cute. You're different. You're crazy-."

"Sanity is highly overrated. I like being crazy," he said against her palm.

"I said shut up," she ordered.

"You're perfect in a very imperfect way. You're transparent. You don't hide anything. You're honest. You have the best laugh…Yes, your laugh turns me on," she stopped when she noticed his smirk.

"And overly cocky and fucking arrogant…but you're also compassionate and annoyingly persistent. You're a lot of things. You mesmerize me you know," she added, caressing his face. She couldn't believe she was saying all those things. She never wanted to admit to him, ever. But it was like he had some sort of power over her. She knew if in this moment he asked her to stake herself she would do it.

"Damn! I have said too much," she thought. She closed her eyes in embarrassment.

He flipped them, shifting on top of her. He framed her face in his hands and shifted his hips until he found her center and settled himself in between her legs. The legs he had initially thought he would kill to trap himself in between.

"Let me see your beautiful eyes," he said.

Her eyes fluttered open, confused by his order. He stared at her for a long moment, until she couldn't stand it any longer and turned her head away. Cupping her face, he made her look at him until their eyes met once more. "I love your eyes," he confessed. "They remind me of a sunrise," he added. She frowned.

His phone buzzed, snapping them out of their bubble. "I hate this fucking thing. You know the time of pagers was so much better," he said earning himself her giggle as he got off her. He answered. "This better be important, Stefan. You just cock blo-," he trailed off after Stefan said something to him. It was in a different language. Elena couldn't understand. It was Italian maybe.

"That fucking mixed breed fucking coward Klaus Mikelson," Damon cursed and Elena flinched. "I can't come today though. Tell Rick to handle that. I am busy today," Damon said as he hung up. "Sorry about that Baby Vamp," he said as he tried to take his position on her again.

"What? What happened?" she said pushing him off slightly. Nick's name had brought her back to her senses.

"Nothing. It's just those fucking Original clan," Damon cursed, hatred evident on his face.

"What happened with them?"

"They are just being their usual annoying stuck up selves."

"I...uh."

"You don't know about them obviously. You are a young vampire. You don't know about clan politics. Fucking _Originals_. They are the bane of my life. You know baby what I want the most in this world? That fucking Klaus Mikelson dead, rotting in hell. No, I change my mind. I want all of them dead. I want that fucking Kol Mikelson dead and I want to kill the Original bitch Rebekah myself," he raged.

"We were this close to killing that bitch too. My brother Stefan had that whore wrapped around his pinky. Fucking bitch thought Stefan was in love with her. She was even willing to kill that asshole Klaus for us. But that cunt caught Stefan screwing another girl…I am still pissed about that. If that fuck-head brother of mine controlled his libido one day we would have burnt all those Originals alive," he seethed. "But I swear to God I will wipe this earth from filth like them," he added furiously, too lost in his hate speech against her family to notice her reaction.

"This clan politics is really hard, Baby Vamp," he continued rambling.

Elena felt tears spring to her eyes as she heard him continue about how much he hated her family. True, he wasn't aware that she was an Original too but that didn't stop her feeling hurt and deceived.

She had not hated herself more ever then she hated herself in that moment. Her betrayal to her family weighed heavily on her conscience. Damon wanted her brothers dead. He and his brother almost killed her elder sister. And she was keeping the bed warm for him. She had been fucking her family's enemy. She had been sleeping with the person who hated her family and wanted to burn them alive.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her anger grew into a burning hate and rage for herself.

"Elena…" he said as he looked at her, alarmed by her tears. What just happened? Was she okay? Did he say something wrong?

Large tears welled in Elena's eyes and Damon felt his heartbreak with the fall of each one. Her normally warm and beautiful eyes were now filled with red hate.

"What's wrong? Baby?" he asked his voice laced with concern, totally forgetting about his clan issues.

..

..

 _Ooh, Elena has some explaining to do..._

 _Chapter Beta'd by Alta Beron. Alta, dear, thank you so much for your hard work._

 _Do review? I would love your thoughts up til now._


	10. Wreckless crazy love

Chapter 9: 'Wreckless crazy love'

* * *

"Why are you crying?" he asked his tone filled with concern, holding her wrists in his hands.

She gulped loudly. Tugging her wrists away she pushed him slightly away and rose.

"Baby Vamp, What's wrong?" he asked.

Wiping her tears, she tried to put on a strong facade. "You need to leave."

"What?" he asked, completely surprised by her behavior.

"Do you have some sort of hearing disability? I said LEAVE," she spat turning around, her eyes red with fury and hate.

"What the fuck? What did I do?" he said, puzzled. He rose up from her bed, moving toward her.

She shook her head. She couldn't tell him what he did to offend her. He just told her he hated her family. He just confessed that he and his brother used her sister to kill her brother and if that wasn't enough his brother cheated on her sister as well. She didn't know what was worse. The way he talked about killing her family or the way he talked about her sister as if she was filth.

"Damon, Leave," she ordered pointing toward the door.

"But baby vamp-."

"I don't want to hear anything. I want you to get the hell out. I never want to see you again…"

"But, I just. We just…"

"Yes, we had our fun now get out," Elena spat. He visibly flinched.

"Fun? This is not fun for me. I am serious about you," He growled.

"But I don't want anything to do with you," she hissed looking at him as if the sight of him repulsed her.

"I…I don't understand just a minute ago you were going on about how you like…I don't get it…" he said to more to himself than her, running his fingers through his hair. "Why?" he finally said looking at her.

"Because I hate you. I want nothing to do with you. I can't stand the sight of you-," she hissed furiously. His face twisted in pain as if he could feel physical pain by her confession. He squeezed his eyes shut as the pain flooded him. His brain raced to make sure he was hearing things correctly, that he wasn't just hearing what he never wanted to hear from her. He stood still, his face scrunched up to squelch the tears he refused to let flow.

"You don't mean that," he said as he reached out for her. The pull to her was too strong. He knew she didn't mean any of it. Her eyes always gave her away. Something he said really upset her. He couldn't figure out anything. _Let's revisit what I just said_. He thought. He only talked about Stefan and Originals. None of which should concern her since she barely knew them. Was she afraid of Originals? She must not want to get in between his feud with the Original clan. No one wanted to cross them. Her alliance with him automatically meant an open declaration of war against Originals.

"If it's about Originals-."

"I don't care and I don't want to hear about anything. I just want you to leave me alone."

"If you listen to me I will explain-," he said as he reached out for her wrist. She backed instantly. "Don't. Don't touch me. Don't ever try to touch me again," she growled backing away from him.

"I am not going until you listen to me."

She stood stiff and still. "I don't want to listen to you. I don't want anything to do with you ever. Now get away from me. Don't touch me, don't speak to me, don't even look at me, Just get out," she hissed opening the door. "Before I call security."

"Security? That's the best you got," he spat stepping toward her.

"Get out," Elena said rolling her eyes.

"You don't know who you're messing with, Elena. I don't know why you're doing this. But you should know that I am not backing off," he said in a dangerous tone.

"Barking dogs seldom bite," Elena mumbled under her breath.

"Oh! I will bite…" he hissed back. She didn't know that his inner demon craved to bite her. To claim her. Her behavior confused him. Her words hurt him. It slayed him. She managed to hurt him like he had never been hurt before in mere seconds with her harsh attitude and indifference just after she showered her affections on him. _Maybe, that's why it hurts more this time_. He thought. Because he just felt how it would feel to be loved by her.

"SECURITY!" Elena shouted.

He chuckled. As if humans could ever get rid of him. That girl was so naïve. "Fine…I am going," he said as his hands rose in surrender.

She was close enough for Damon to drape his arm around her shoulders. "Out," she hissed. "Fine but I need my goodnight kiss," he insisted, playfully trying to hide the hurt.

"I'd rather set myself on fire," she hissed as if the idea disgusted her.

He rolled his eyes in amusement. Didn't she remember that just a few hours ago she was screaming his name? She can't act like she didn't want him anymore. She did want him and he knew that.

As much as he liked when she was being stubborn. This was not his favorite moment. Just a few minutes ago she was telling him how much she was mesmerized by him. And now she preferred setting herself on fire then kissing him. Not to mention, she very rudely asked him to leave and never show her his face again. Her behavior confused him. And confusion never went well with him. It drove him insane. His madness to get her loving side back was threatening his sanity level. She led him on and then she rejected him. This wasn't fair. _She is just a five year old vampire. She shouldn't be able to hurt you_. His inner demon whispered to him. It mocked him for going too easy on the doe-eyed vampire that was made only for him. The call of her blood to him had proved that.

She looked at him with disgust on her face. He turned her roughly by the shoulders, she pushed him away, and he yanked her back. His arm circling her so tightly she was sure he'd slit his skin open and sew her up inside it if he were able. He stole her ability to think when his lips hovered above hers. She didn't want to show him her vulnerability. She didn't want to show him how much she desired him at this moment. The pull to him was back and with a strong surge this time. But she stood strong showing indifference when in reality she was messed up from inside.

Her blood was blinding him of all sanity. A strange voice in his head was urging him to bite her. To claim her as his. To show her in that instant what he was capable of. Her fragrance was intoxicating him. His demon urges were soaring _. She is made for me. Then why can't she feel what I am feeling_. He thought. Controlling his inner urges, his one hand cupped her face. The desire on her face was visible. She was trying to hide it but her eyes gave her away again. That's why he loved her eyes. Her honest beautiful eyes.

If only she could think clearly if only she could speak, she could snap him out of this animal insanity and bring him to his senses, but her strength was feeble against him. She didn't want him to snap out anyway. His eyes searched something on her face and he smirked when he found what he was searching for.

His face close to hers. His hands sliding toward her wrists holding both of them gently.

"Say it."

"I won't."

"Say you're mine."

"I am not. Get out!"

"Shush. One more word and I will kiss you and you know I will," he warned, his face inching closer. Her eyes darted to his lips. What was it about him that made her stop thinking rationally whenever he was so close. The pull she felt to him was forcing her to admit it. But she pushed it back. _My family. He hates my family. My family is more important than few moments of passion._ She tried to remind herself.

"I am not-."

He captured her mouth, silencing any lies before they were out. Her heart skittered in her chest. His lips covered hers hungrily. His want for her so hard and furious that he was oblivious to everything but her at the moment. His assault on her lips continued as his lips moved with hers tenderly, teasingly, furiously, and maddeningly. She kissed him back with as much fervor. Her resistance long forgotten.

His breath warmed her cheek as he leaned toward her ear. "See! That's the power I have over you, Baby Vamp. You say you hate me but you and I both know you want this. You can't resist me. Say it. You're mine," he whispered seductively and cockily. That snapped her out of her trance. Pushing him off her she went back to her room.

"Don't do this Elena," he warned.

"Fuck. You."

"OK, but I'll be on the top." He replied playfully.

Rolling her eyes she slammed the door in his face.

"This isn't over, Baby vamp. I am only leaving you here for now because I have to get home for some work. I will be back tomorrow by the end of your last class and we are gonna talk," he said.

She didn't reply but he knew she heard.

With a grim face and a bitter mood, he made his way out of the building. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she changed from being mesmerized to him to hating him in a matter of minutes. Something was up and he had to figure out why. He wasn't going to leave her in any case. No matter how crazy, moody, an egotistical bitch with an attitude level higher than Mount Everest but she was still his. All his. And in no way was he ever going to give her up. After all, he did love her.

..

..

"I pleaded the case to the Lords. I don't think they will be listening to Klaus anyway. The Bennett clan is safe," Alaric briefed him once he returned.

Damon tried to pay attention. He really did but he was still feeling bitter and upset from his night before. In his frustration with the girl he loved, he nearly drained two other humans. He tried to think anything that he might have said that could have offended her so much.

"Are you listening?" Alaric snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Huh…yeah. Thank for covering for me."

"No problem. You have been too busy anyway," Alaric replied. "Is there any problem?" he asked, observing him so disturbed.

"It's that newborn vampire girl, Elena, she kicked him out again," Bonnie informed him.

"Leader of the Ripper can't get one girl," Stefan mocked him. Damon's eyes shot to him. His eyes challenged his brother to continue speaking.

"What happened? Maybe I can help. I am after all a thousand year old and very much experienced with women," Alaric said with an amused expression.

He didn't reply. Ignoring them. He continued scanning the new vampires that were training in the field under Enzo's supervision. They weren't too old but they were better at fighting and knew a lot of tricks that could help them tackle older vampires in a matter of seconds.

"He won't tell us," Bonnie replied. "He's been quiet ever since he came back," she added.

"If you want I can go down there and teach the girl-," Stefan trailed off when Damon glared at him.

"Touch a hair on her head and I will stake you myself," he threatened.

"Ouch," Stefan said backing off.

"Do you think it's…" Alaric said looking at Bonnie. Bonnie nodded. "Yup! She is the one. Ripper's future queen," she added with a smirk.

"With the ego, she has, that might take centuries to happen." Damon finally broke his silence.

"What is the problem?" Alaric asked again.

"Problem? I have no fucking idea. One minute she is happy. The next minute she is screaming at me to get out. One minute she is telling me how much she likes me and the next minute she starts crying and when I ask her what happened? She tells me to fucking get out and never show her my face again. It's so fucking confusing. It's so annoying. She tells me to go away but then she kisses me and leads me on…" he ranted, his face scrunched up. "And it drives me so crazy that at one point I was thinking of biting her," he added. But biting her and sharing blood with her without her consent was wrong. He loved her. He was going to do right by her.

"So she is a little complicated," Bonnie said weakly.

"Oh, she is not just complicated. She is the queen of complicatedness. The word complicated was made for women like her. She is like a Jingo crossword puzzle strapped with Rubik's cubes attached to a fucking monopoly."

"That does sound complicated," Stefan sided with him.

"You must have done something. She can't just get fired up about nothing," Alaric said.

"I swear to God I didn't say anything that could have offended her." He said as he tried to remember anything he could have said that might have offended her.

"What were you exactly talking about before she got mad at you?" Bonnie asked. "If it isn't too personal," she added. "I can give you a girl's view."

"We were talking about us and she seemed happy but then Stefan called me and when I hung up... Her bitchy version was back," he said making a face as he remembered the bitter memories of last night.

"What are you getting from her that is so worth this childish drama? Just fucking leave her alone," Stefan said, annoyed.

"That's not it, Damon. You must have said something," Alaric said, narrowing eyes.

"It's the fucking Original's jinx. I said all their names and it jinxed my love life," Damon said in a tone laced with hatred. God! He hated them. Even the mention of their names ruined his life. What wouldn't he give to burn them all alive and wipe this earth of the filth that they were.

"What did you say about Originals?" Bonnie asked, narrowing her eyes.

"The usual stuff. How they are disgusting filthy lowlifes that I despise and how the fact that they are still breathing annoys me. And how I want to kill fucking Klaus, Kol and that bitch Rebekah."

"And we almost had her," Stefan said with a cold sigh as he remembered how close they were to finishing off Rebekah and Klaus for good. "I told her that too," Damon added.

"Did you by any chance mention that you and Stefan used that girl, played with her emotions and almost made her kill her own brother?" Bonnie said sharply. She wasn't with them in those times but she knew the whole story of their last strategy to kill Klaus before the final point to the treaty was added.

"Oh," Damon said as he closed his eyes.

"That right there is the reason why she threw you out," Bonnie said glaring at him. "And I am sure you bragged about how Stefan had her but she caught Stefan cheating on her," she added.

"I messed up. Didn't I?" Damon said biting his lower lip.

"What has that to do with Elena?" Stefan asked.

"By what Damon told me Elena is scared of commitments and had some really bad experience with a past relationship. Damon bragging about how he used a girl's feelings for political benefit makes him seem like an asshole that girls like Elena dump on a daily basis," Bonnie explained.

"But I cheated on that Original whore. Damon has nothing to do with that" Stefan said frowning.

"Haven't you heard birds of a feather flock together? Damon witnessed you cheating and thought it was fine because of his personal benefit. Elena judged his mentality. This was a red flag for Elena who is already a commitment phobe." Alaric explained.

"How can she think all that in two minutes?" Damon said incredulously.

"Girls notice things." Bonnie shrugged.

"I am going to talk this out with her. There is no way those fucking Originals are messing up this one good thing that is happening in my life," he said in a determined tone.

Stefan stood behind, watching his brother and their second in command chief talk about that girl who according to Stefan shouldn't be so important. Something about that girl made him uneasy. And it didn't help that the girl, Elena, was continuously rejecting his brother. _Who does she think she is?She is nothing special. she is just a five year old vampire_ He thought, frowning. And she had the audacity to turn down the chief of the Rippers. He would be visiting her soon if she didn't stop torturing his brother like that.

..

..

Elena picked up her books and stuffed them into her bag. It felt so good to be independent for once. All her life she had been locked up except for one time when Michel and Isobel sent her off to Whitmore for college. Life had changed drastically for her ever since Nick made her a vampire five years back. She was always told she was special. She had a very special purpose for her clan. She was treated like royalty. She was provided with everything. Except for her independence.

"Elena! You still up for hanging out at the bar Right?" April asked her as she made her way down the hall. "Yup! We need to celebrate going through the first day of the semester without killing ourselves," she said with a slight girlish giggle.

"What time though?" Lev asked her.

" Eightish or Nineish?" Elena suggested. Just then her phone chimed. "Excuse me," Elena said as she answered.

"How was your first day?" Caroline asked in an excited tone.

"We have one hell of a crazy semester ahead. I-," Elena replied.

"Did the Ripper show up again?" she interrupted.

"Right on the topic huh! No! He didn't show up yet," Elena replied rolling her eyes.

"I still can't believe he managed to track you again," Caroline said in disbelief. "I mean seriously If I were you I would be scared by his infatuation with you."

"He is gone now and I don't think I will be hearing from him again. I was firm this time," Elena said.

"Thank God! You know I almost thought you were falling for him," Caroline chimed.

"What? No! He is a Ripper. I was born to hate him and his kind." Elena replied making sure her tone was filled with venom. She walked out of the campus and made her way toward the dormitory. "I had to hear him talk about my family like they were some kind of filth. It took every ounce of control in me not to stake him right there," Elena said as she remembered how he talked about her family.

"Yes! About that! I researched some history about Rebekah and that Ripper Stefan Salvatore," Caroline squeaked.

"What?"

"Honey! That was the biggest scandal of last century. Do you know they added a whole new point to the treaty because of her?"

"What? Everyone knows about that?" Elena asked, surprised.

"Yes. Do you know what's the latest point that was added to the treaty between the Rippers and Originals by Vampire council?" Caroline asked.

"Of course. Male vampires can't mate with female vampires from the rival clan," she replied.

"Yes. That point was added on Nick's insistence when the Ripper almost made her kill Nick."

"Nick knows about that?" Elena asked, shocked.

"Of course he does. No one can hide anything from that bastard," Caroline replied as if it was the most obvious thing.

"The Ripper somehow convinced our sweet naïve Bex that he was in love with her. He convinced her to perform the mating bond with him. I don't know how but somehow Nick found out about that before they could go through the process. He was so mad at her. Devina told me that Kol told her that they have never seen him more angry in his thousand year old life. Later that Ripper Stefan confessed to the council that he was going to use that mating bond and make Rebekah kill Nick and everyone else."

"How?"

"You know the mating bond is the strongest bond there is. Both mates can kill for each other. The pull of the blood does that," she explained.

"Like the sire bond with their creator?" she asked.

"Yes! Probably."

"So! How did Stefan get off the hook?" Elena asked.

"Just a warning since there was no rule back then that could have stopped him from performing the bond with her," Caroline answered.

Elena entered her dorm and closed the door after her. She threw her bag on her bed and opened the fridge, taking out her blood bag.

"I hate them," Elena spat. "And Nick is right. The vampire council is too biased. They are just scared of their damn werewolves and their witches." She stopped thinking about the pain her sister must have gone through because of the Rippers. She hated herself again. Her sister would hate her if she ever found out that Elena had slept with one of the Rippers. The thought that the Rippers played her sister enraged her.

"I hate them all so much, especially their chief. That egotistical, sleazy, self-centered asshole," she muttered under her breath.

"You're thinking too much about him. Just forget about him. He shouldn't matter to you," Caroline said with a huff.

"I am not thinking about him."

"Just delete him from your life."

"I did. It's just…the thought of him makes me so mad," Elena said gritting her teeth.

"It shouldn't. He shouldn't matter. He shouldn't affect you at all. Don't even think about him," Caroline said. "I know what you need. You need to go out with some other guy. Aren't there any cute guys in your college?" Caroline asked.

"I…I honestly haven't noticed yet," Elena stammered. How could she? When all that was on her mind was that blue-eyed vampire that she very rudely pushed out of her room last night. _So far no calls or texts. Looks like he finally gave up._ She thought.

"HONEY!" Caroline snapped her out of her thoughts. "Are you even listening to me?"

"What?"

"I said you can always meet new guys at the bar. It doesn't need to be serious. Just a fun night. It will help you forget about that-."

A harsh knock on her door interrupted her. "I think it's my friends," Elena said as she hid the blood bag and zoomed to the door, her phone still in her hand.

She opened the door. "Hi! I was just-," any words she was about to say died in her mouth as she saw the person standing in front of her. _Of course, he was not going down that easily._ She thought as her smile turned into a frown.

..

..

After compelling the security officer and the receptionist to let him in. He made his way to Elena's dorm. " _That_ _egotistical_ _, sleazy, self-centered asshole,"_ He could hear her with his vampire hearing _._ He smirked. "I bet my balls she is talking about me," he thought.

Moving toward her door. He could hear her talk to someone on the phone. Some girl.

" _It shouldn't. He shouldn't matter. He shouldn't affect you at all. Don't even think about him_." The girl said to his doe-eyed vampire. He frowned. Whoever she was, he didn't like her. He focused on that voice.

" _I know what you need. You need to go out with some other guy. Aren't there any cute guys in your college?"_ The girl continued.

WHAT? Did that girl just tell his girlfriend to pork some other guy? No, she won't. She will not bone anyone other than him ever. "Over my dead pile of ash," he snarled under his breath.

" _Y_ _ou can always meet new guys at the bar. It doesn't need to be serious. Just a fun night"_. The girl he now clearly hated continued. When he came here. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to talk to her. But now, he wanted to do more than talk. First, he wanted to find that stupid girl who was messing with his love life, he wanted to stake that girl. It took him two and a half weeks to get Elena's attention and he wasn't going to let anyone ruin his progress. He felt his blood boil as rage and despair consumed him. All rational thought eluded him. No! He would be dead before that happens.

He knocked on the door violently. He could easily break it but it would only cause a commotion and he was not in the mood to compel humans.

" _I think it's my friends,"_ She said to her friend as she opened the door. "Hi! I was just-," she trailed off as she looked at him. Her smile turned into a frown.

"NO," he said as he entered. Even the very idea sounded awful to him. How can she go out with someone when she was solely made for him.

"What?" she asked, confused.

He made a grab for her wrist. "No! You're not going out with anyone." He stated.

"Excuse me."

"I will not tolerate that," he said in a grave tone. "I will kill him," he added threatening her.

He took her phone from her hand. "Let me guess? Caroline!" he said in a grave tone.

The girl didn't answer. "I don't know what your problem with me is but if you ever tried to brainwash my girlfriend against me or suggest her to pork someone else I will stab your eyes out."

"First of all, Hon is not your girlfriend and secondly I will pull your arms out before you even touch me," Caroline replied sharply.

"She is my girlfriend. She is exclusively mine." He replied.

"I don't know why you're so crazed about her but if you really care about her you should probably leave her alone since your obsession with her is completely unhealthy. And I would get a therapist if I were you since you clearly seem like a psycho to me," Caroline replied sharply.

"I care about Elena more than you ever will," he raged back.

"You met her three weeks ago."

"Yes, but she means the world to me and at least I didn't leave her to die, unlike you," Damon spat back. That silenced Caroline. "If you were even a bit of the good friend you pretend to be you wouldn't have left her when she was all alone with century old vampires that were ready to kill her," he added.

"Damon! Stop it," Elena said as she tried to take her phone back.

"And what's this I hear you telling my girlfriend to leave me and bone some other shit for a fun night. I am giving her commitment which is better than a just a night of fun. Good friends support their friends to pursue things that make them happy. I make her happy and I always will. You should support us instead of telling her to go on some one night of loveless sick sex," he added in a tone full of disgust. His eyes darted toward the shocked girl.

The very thought of her lips being near someone else's face made his blood boil with rage. Caroline didn't answer. "Enough," Elena said as she snatched her phone from him and hung up.

"What the hell was that?" she asked venom in her tone.

"That was me standing up for us," he replied confidently.

"There is no us," she replied turning around.

He bit his lip, trying to control the rage and held her by her arm. "Elena! I know why you're upset," he breathed. She stiffened. She felt his hands on her shoulder, his head dipped in the crook of her neck. "You think I used a woman for my clan's benefit. And trust me, when I say it out loud I seem like an asshole but you don't know what they did to us," he whispered. Spinning her around, he made her face him.

"And in no way will I ever support cheating. I think it's completely despicable and the most disgusting thing you can do to someone you love or care about," he added, his eyes full of honesty.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, perplexed.

"Because I know that you have had a bad experience in the past. I want you to be sure of us. You mean so much to me," he said holding her wrists. Bonnie did tell him to be patient. He needed to calm down and control the raging jealousy of the thought of her with someone else and his insecurity regarding her.

"You mean so much to me. I would never hurt you and I will most certainly never take advantage of you," he promised. " I know that you're scared of commitments but can't you just give me a little more... I get it you have had your heart broken, but you don't have to worry about that with me. Don't close me out... I have had some tough times of my own but I know that you and I will work. I feel a pull to you. I want to…"

She looked at him. His hands were playing with her long locks as he spoke. She felt the pull again. The strange maddening pull to him. A small smile crept on his face as he looked down and talked to her about what he felt for her, about how much she meant to him and how he would never dream of hurting her. If he kept talking one more minute she knew she would give in. For goodness sake, she had been dreaming about the man last night. She had to pull away now before she ended up in bed with him again.

"Are you done?" she said making a bored face.

His eyes shot up from her lips to her face, shocked. A sick part of her liked his vulnerability. The way he would just flinch whenever she used that sort of tone.

"No! I am not done." He replied with a grim look. "I want to talk this out."

"I don't have time for this," Elena replied as she moved out of his grasp and toward her closet. She picked out a dress. From the corner of her eye, she noticed him frown and watch her with his hands crossed on his chest. "We still have to talk," he said once she came out of the attached bathroom.

"I have been more than clear that I don't want-."

"Okay! That's it. No more Mr. Nice Guy. At least tell me what I did wrong?" he raged, annoyed by her indifference. He knew she wanted this. He was sick of her backing off all the time. His inner demon mocked him. _See! What happens when you go easy on her_. He thought bitterly.

"Do you even remember the way you were talking about Reb-that girl Rebekah? I cannot be with someone who shows such disrespect toward women. I refuse to be with someone who used a girl for his own benefit." She spat. This was the best she could come up with to explain her sudden change of behavior.

"Oh my God! Didn't I just explain that they are our enemies and they did far worse," he hissed back.

"I don't care what they did and frankly I don't give a damn about you either. I am not getting in between the fight of two vicious centuries old clans. I want a peaceful life and you are just trouble with a capital T," She replied.

He closed his eyes in frustration. Of course, someone must have told her about the treaty. She was being careful. She was after all a vampire with no clan at all. Of course, she was looking out for herself. She didn't have clan comradery.

"I get it. Our feud with Originals makes you uneasy but Baby Vamp I will keep you safe. They would have to go through me to get to you," he promised holding her wrists to his chest.

"They are thousand year old vampires. You don't stand a chance against them," she said, a part of her was angry at him for considering her family's power as if it was nothing.

"Huh! Yeah, Right. I eat Originals for breakfast," he gloated again. His confidence would have worked. He could have any other girl with that type of boasting. But not her because she belonged to the family he so strongly despised. Clenching her teeth, Elena tried to control the anger she felt for the annoyingly persistent vampire that won't leave her alone and would probably be the death of her.

"Forget about them. I don't want to talk about them. I wanna talk about you. How was your first day? Tell me all about it," he tried to change the topic. "Tell me how was the first day of your college experience. Is some professor jerk giving you a tough time? Do you need my help in anything?" he asked wrapping his hands around her waist, bringing her closer. "Damon, Stop!" she breathed. It came out more of a plea than an order.

"No! No! I don't wanna talk about it. I don't want to ruin the best thing that is happening to me for those Original fuckhead Klaus fucking Mikelson and that lowlife Kol and their trash sisters."

She closed her eyes as his words sunk in. Pushing him away, she picked her bag. "If you're not going then I will just go," she said out loud, slamming the door after her as she raced down the corridors before he could catch up with her. She could always go to Jenna's house. She was sure if she stayed one more minute there she would either stake him or get convinced by his sweet talk.

..

..

"Elena! Someone sent you flowers," Jenna shouted from the kitchen once she came back from another tiring day of college.

Three days have passed since her last encounter with her crazed vampire. She knew he hadn't given up but she was hoping he would even though a small part of her became distressed at that thought.

"Who are they from?" she asked checking the bouquet for any card.

"Guess who?" Jenna asked, narrowing her eyes. "Uhh…" Elena stammered.

"He still hasn't left you alone. How the hell does Damon knows you're in Duke?" Jenna asked.

"Shit! Did you invite him in?" Elena asked, eyes widening.

"What choice did I have when a century year old vampire shows up on my doorstep and demands to see you," Jenna spat.

"You shouldn't have invited him in," Elena groaned.

"You didn't tell me he is still chasing you around?" Jenna asked.

"I left my dorm because he won't leave me alone there and now you have invited him in here as well." Elena continued her rant not listening to Jenna.

"He also told me this very interesting thing that ummm….YOU'RE HIS FUCKING GIRLFRIEND NOW!" Jenna raged. "Oh, and he left a message for you on the phone pad," she added. Elena walked toward the phone and picked up the message book Jenna kept with the phone.

"I am giving you time to cool off but I am not giving up. This isn't over. See you soon, Baby Vamp XOXO.

P.s: Your mum makes the best pancakes ever," she read silently, closing her eyes _. Of course, he found her again._ It was the Klaus and Caroline chase all over again. She shivered at that thought. _No. Damon is just attracted to me. There is no way he fell for me._

"So you _are_ with him," Jenna breathed. Her own worst fears coming true.

"Okay. I can explain that…" Elena cowered.

"I am calling Klaus. This is more than I can handle," Jenna said shaking her head.

"No! No! No! Please Don't! Jenna. Please, don't tell him, Jenna. Nick will kill him! He won't tolerate this. Do you want my brother to start a war over something that isn't even worth it?" Elena begged zooming in front of Jenna.

"He will kill me too if I don't tell him this," Jenna replied.

"Jenna! I promise you I will end things with Damon today. Please! Don't tell Nick. Just give me one last chance," she begged.

"I am surprised as to why things started in the first place. You promised to end things before too."

"I am trying Jenna. I know the consequences. Just this one chance please."

"Okay," Jenna replied giving in to her niece.

..

..

She had received the flowers everyday for more than a week. The vampire himself didn't show up but he made sure his presence was always felt. He did send her flirty texts telling her that he was busy but he will be showing up soon, as soon as he is done with some clan work. And top it all, he sent his regards to Jenna too as if threatening her that he knew her weaknesses.

Finishing her last class, she was talking to her friends about the project schedule when she spotted him waiting outside the campus, leaning against his car. He waved at her arrogantly. She felt her heart race.

"Who is he?" Liv asked.

"No one important," she replied looking away.

"He is waving at you," she added.

"Just ignore him," Elena replied.

"Hello! Baby Vamp!" he greeted her coming close.

"Baby Vamp?" Liv asked looking at her.

"What do you want Damon?" she huffed annoyed.

"You. I want you," he replied bluntly.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Liv asked, nudging her.

"No, he isn't," Elena replied.

"Yes, I am," Damon corrected.

"Ignore him. He is just some psycho," Elena replied as if he wasn't even here. "He is hot," Liv said and Damon winked at her. "He is an ass," Elena replied.

"Can you excuse us?" she added looking at Liv. "Are we still up for shopping tomorrow?" Liv asked. Elena nodded. "See you at tomorrow at twelve noon sharp," Liv said as she left.

"Why are you here?" Elena asked finally giving him her full attention.

"I wanted to see you," he replied standing in front of her. "You didn't honestly think you could get rid of me that easily," he added, smirking.

"Don't you have other things to do than annoy me?" Elena said as she threw her books in her car. "You're still living with your mum," Damon asked ignoring her question. "Like you didn't know," Elena snapped at him. He grinned, confirming her silent accusation that he was indeed stalking her.

"You need help! Serious help!" Elena said opening the door of her car.

"Nope! I just need you," he replied, her words not affecting him.

"I wanna talk Elena," he added when she completely ignored him and jumped in her car.

"And I wanna get away from you," she replied slamming the door of her car as she revved the car's engine. He watched silently with an amused expression as she raced her car out of the parking. He could still hear how frantically fast her heart raced whenever she saw him. No matter how high her walls were he was going to break them one by one. He was determined to become the sole owner of her heart one day.

..

..

It was Elena's first weekend away from her family. Not that she didn't love her family but she was actually enjoying her new found freedom. Except for that vampire Ripper jerk who won't leave her alone. A part of her didn't want him too. She shrugged the thoughts of him away. He was all always on her mind. It was hard to keep him out of her thoughts anymore and his continuous struggle to get her attention was not helping. She needed to do anything to get him out of her mind. Brunch in the bright sun with her friends seemed like a good idea. Afterwards, they decided to go shopping.

"I was thinking of going to the Saloon. I already have all the things I need," Elena said after she and her friends were done with shopping. "I am thinking about cutting my hair. I have always kept it long but I think it's time for a new look," she chimed as she took out her phone to show what haircut she chose for herself.

"How about-," she couldn't see as she bumped into someone. She bounced off the object – Damon - that she collided with, almost landing on her back if it weren't for his sharp reflexes; she was against his hard body, his arms muscled bands around her, her breasts pressing against that unrelenting chest. Her eyes darted up to the person holding her. Her heart raced as her eyes met those burning blue pools that stopped her heart.

His hands traveled down her arms to her wrists to her hands, relishing the feel of her. She pulled back immediately, regaining her balance. "Distance," she reminded herself. He isn't worth the pain, aggravation, and deception to her clan. She didn't want him so close, didn't want to feel the press of his thigh or the heat of his chest.

"Why don't you look where you're going?" she snapped at him.

"Should I apologize for you bumping into me?" he asked, smirking.

"And, No! You're not cutting your hair," He said as if she just asked him for _his_ valuable advice. "I love your hair like this," he added running his fingers through her locks.

"It's none of your business."

"You're mine. That makes it my business,"

"I am not yours or anyones. I am my own person," she replied strongly.

"That doesn't change the fact that you were made for me and only me," he replied stepping toward her.

"I think I just got an ear-gasim," Liv whispered in Elena's ear. Elena glared at her and then looked at the man who was towering over her.

"Get a life," she said ignoring him and spinning around.

"You will be calling me in a few minutes," he called after her.

"I would rather pluck my eyes out," she replied walking away with her friends.

"Who is he?" April asked her. "Her boyfriend," Liv replied. Elena groaned loudly and didn't bother to correct them. As they moved outside the tinted glassed shop. Elena felt her skin burn as soon as the ray of sun hit her. She hissed and instantly jumped back to the store.

"What happened?" Liv asked her. It took Elena a minute to figure out that the sun was burning her. Her daylight ring wasn't working. Her eyes darted to her hands and she wasn't surprised at all when she found her ring missing from her finger. She briefly remembered Damon running his hands down her arms to her hands. He must have deliberately run into with her to steal her daylight ring.

"I have some stuff I need to pick for Jenna. You should go."

"But you came with us. You don't have a ride," April reminded her.

"I will get a cab," she said as she stuffed her hand into her jeans. She took out her phone and called the vampire that would be the death of her. He picked up on the first bell. "And I thought I would never see the day when you would call me," he chimed in a very proud tone. "Come here right this second," she ordered.

"Okay…" he said. She felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and came face to face with the devil himself.

"Told you! You would call," he said, smirking.

"Where is my ring?" Elena asked in a furious tone.

"We have only dated for two weeks and you're already asking for a ring," he said in a fake shocked tone.

"You're an asshole," she said through her teeth.

"Then stop staring at me you pervert," he replied rolling his eyes.

"Urgh, I give up," she huffed.

"That's what I wanted all along. Just give in to me, Baby Vamp, " He chimed.

"I am leaving," she said spinning around.

"The further you push me away from you the closer I get," he replied in a sing song tone.

Forgetting about her ring, she walked out of the shop and nearly shrieked as soon as the ray hit her face. He pulled her back immediately. "Need I remind you that unlike Edward, the disco ball, vampire we don't glitter in the sun. We burn until we are ashes" he said as he looked around to see if anyone was noticing.

"Give me back my ring," she said harshly.

"Not until the weekend is over," he replied, grinning, cocking his head slightly.

"What am I supposed to do till then?" she asked, horror struck. She knew by now that when he made up his mind not even God could change his decision. He was arrogant like that.

"You won't need a sunlight ring. You will be staying with me in my house and I don't think I will let you out of the house even for a second," he said shrugging.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because only I can get you out of here without turning you into a pile of ash," he replied. "We need to discuss things and that can only happen if we are alone," he added. He knew he had her cornered. "Stay over with me this weekend. We need to talk about a lot of things. I will explain everything to you about me, my clan and our rivalry with Originals. We need to work it out, Elena. Please," his cocky attitude was gone. He legitimately wanted to make things work between them.

She held his gaze for a moment. His eyes did not waver and he did not hesitate in the least in his determination to convince her of how much he wanted to be with her.

"Jenna won't allow it," Elena tried to come up with an excuse.

"Don't pull that crap on me. You're a grown up woman. You don't need anyone's permission," he reminded her. "So what's it's gonna be?" he asked.

She glared at him.

"I haven't gotten all day, Baby Vamp. I want an answer as soon as I finish my smoothie. I am not very patient type" he said as he sipped from his cup. "God knows how much it takes to not snap at you" he murmured under breath. "Besides! There is nothing wrong with spending a weekend with your boyfriend," he added.

"You're not-" she tried to correct him but he didn't even let her finish. "I am your boyfriend"

"So! What's it gonna be?" he asked throwing the empty cup in the bin.

After convincing Elena that everything will be provided for her in his house. They were finally on their way to Mystic Falls. Needless to say, Elena was in a bad mood. She was panicked about something. It was as if she was scared of someone. She had a bitchy expression on her face as if being in his presence annoyed her but he knew better.

Her eyes would always soften whenever she looked at him. Her cheeks would be tinted pink around him. But what he loved the most was the faint sound of her dead heart drumming against her ribcage at the sight of him giving her act away. Her attitude was just the walls she put to hide herself from hurt and deception and he knew how that felt. He always kept himself guarded too. That's why he knew how to break her walls.

"You're really quiet," he broke the silence.

"My silence is a sign that I'm plotting your death," she replied looking away.

"Ohh! I am scared," he replied with a grin. "Seriously, Elena. Talk to me!" he added with a slight pout.

"Controlling asshole," Elena murmured under her breath. He chuckled. Oh, how he loved whenever she was so angry. "I must know how your clan copes with a controlling asshole like you?" she said with a venomous smile.

"I'm very easy going as long as you're doing exactly what I want!" he replied bluntly. "Drama Queen," he muttered under his breath.

"It surprises me that they managed to live with you for so long I mean you're so annoying…I can't stand the sight of you," she growled.

"And I can't stand it when you get out of my sight," he replied earnestly. He heard her sharp intake of breath.

"I know it's not fair. But you won't let me have my share of time in your life. I have to steal my moments." He said with a tone filled with desire and want.

"That does not give you any right to kidnap me."

"You consented to come with me."

"It was a forced consent. You literally gave me the option to either die or go with you."

"You really think I would ever hurt you," he asked as if disgusted by her statement. "You and I both know I would rather drown in a pool of vervain then ever hurt you," he said with a voice void of any type of joke. "I already told you that if it ever came down to your life or my life I will choose yours in a heartbeat."

She was dumbfounded for a minute. Of course, he won't hurt her. She face palmed.

"Your ring is in my pocket," he informed her. "I will turn the car around if you don't want to go with me," he said halting his car in the middle of the road, looking at her hopefully.

"I just wanted to spend time with you, Elena. In no way did I want to disturb or annoy you," he said biting his lip looking straight ahead.

"Why? Why do you want to be with me so bad? I can't remember a single time I have been nice to you. I am continuously putting you down, ignoring you, doing everything in my power so you would leave me alone" she asked, perplexed.

"I know that you're faking it. I know that something in the back of your mind is continuously stopping you from letting me in and I feel like I have been saying this a hundred times by now but you need to understand and believe me when I tell you that I'll never leave you. I don't know how else to make you understand. Actions speak louder than words. I will just be here for you and let you see for yourself," he promised.

Elena was never a commitment phobe. He was taking her reluctance to being in a serious relationship with him for some past heartbreak. She never corrected him. She could never tell him that the real problem was that they were never meant to be together. They were supposed to hate each other and somehow she felt like she wouldn't be able to tolerate it if he started hating her. Which was bound to happen sooner or later. She couldn't keep lying forever. The truth would eventually come out. And that very thought shook her to the core.

But his promises were tempting. She felt the pull to him again. All logic disappearing from her mind again. That's what she hated about being in his presence. She could never think straight whenever he looked at her with those hopeful eyes that were pleading with her to take a chance with him.

Ever since that first day Damon saw her, he was hell-bent to get her. She was fire, purity and simply love. That was the woman he fell in love with. The fact that she was as pure as an angel even after becoming a demonic blood drinking creature fascinated him. He had fallen in love with her because of her purity. And now that he had her within fingertip reach, he wished to just pull her so close to him that he could feel her. Her body pressed against his. Her heart drumming against his chest. Her lips on his. He wanted her everything.

 _Just this weekend. I will just spend one weekend with him and when I come back it will be over._ She thought. How could she not be tempted when he convinced her like that?

"Just one chance Elena. I promise you, you will not regret this," he said raising her hand to his lips with the adoration and tenderness as if she was an angel "But if you still don't want to stay with me I will take you back," he added reluctantly. She glanced at him to see that his eyes were on her, waiting for her response. The hope in his eyes stole her ability to tell him off.

"Won't you be busy with your clan? I…I don't want to disturb" she said uneasily. In a way, she just agreed to live with her enemy. As if a light inside him was turned back on.

"You're going with me?" he asked to confirm.

she nodded.

He gave her a childish grin before his lips captured her mouth in such a fierce swoop she swore she would crumple from overwhelming emotions. He pulled away, his eyes scanning her face before he pulled back.

He smirked, cockily as he revved the engine of the car back to life. "I have had my schedule all cleared up for you. I already told them that my girlfriend would be coming home with me this weekend so I will be busy," he rambled, excitedly.

"I don't know how this is gonna work," she sighed. She just agreed to spend the weekend with her boyfriend who also happened to be her family's worst enemy. She had sworn at the start of the week that she would never have anything to do with him and yet here she was, with him as he yapped about the places he wanted to show her, the events he wanted her to attend with him and how many people in his clan wanted to meet her.

"Just one weekend," she said to herself. _Sure keep lying to yourself_.

"You're going to love Mystic Falls. Our town has a very historical background. We have so many events. You will love them," he explained happily. Little did he know she was from Mystic Falls too. "Speaking of which, Halloween is coming up next month. I have already decided our costumes. I'll be the dill pickle and you will be the doe-eyed deer. Together, we will be dill-doe. Get it?" he chimed.

She burst out laughing. "How do you come up with things like that?" she said in between giggles. Times like this when he didn't mind the wild goose chase she made him do to get her attention. He smiled lightly enjoying her giggles. They were the sweetest music ever composed. _I love you, Elena. I love you so much. I am tempted to stop time to keep you here with me forever._ He wanted to tell her. But that would have to wait. She was just opening up a bit. Now he had to be on his best behavior and make sure he doesn't screw this up.

"So how was your first college week?" he asked.

After she was done with her rant about how she loved her new experience and independence. She noticed they were near the border of Mystic Falls. "What's so good about this stupid college experience anyway?" he asked after a while.

"I am learning new things," she replied.

"Pfft…I can teach you so much more than stupid college," he offered.

"I am not interested in being your sex slave," she replied bluntly.

"I was talking about defense techniques, battle strategies that would help you tackle century old vampires and handling werewolves but I like the way you think," he said with a wink.

"Seriously though you really need to work on your attack strategies," he said as he thought about how easily he trapped her the first time she tried to run. He shivered at the thought that he almost killed her.

"I know how to take care of myself,"

"Sure you do," he said with a chuckle.

He stopped the car in front of his house. With a broad smile, he opened his door and vamp sped to her side and held the door open for her. She smiled shyly up at him and he offered her his hand. She accepted it and was lifted easily to her feet.

"Dinner?" he asked. She looked at her wrist. It was seven but she felt hungry.

"Sure."

"I am not offering. I was out with you the whole day and I kicked everyone else out of the house because I was bringing you home. We have to make dinner," he said as he laced his fingers through hers and walked inside.

"So much for being a guest," she murmured under her breath.

"I stocked my fridge with fresh blood bags for you," he said as he vamp sped to the kitchen and came back with a blood bag and two glasses.

He poured its contents into the glasses and offered her a glass. Setting the glass to her lips, she let the blood touch her tongue. Her eyes closed. Unable to pull his eyes away, Damon watched her lips graze the rim of the glass and felt envious of how sensually her lips touched the glass.

He was still holding his glass, though his eyes were glued to hers. Not breaking her gaze, he raised the glass to his lips and drank. As soon as the metallic liquid touched his lips his forehead scrunched up into a frown of disgust. He forced the stale blood down his throat and almost vomited inwardly. He scrunched his nose and put the glass away.

His eyes darted to her. She had finished her glass and was helping herself to another.

"How can you survive on this shit? It tastes disgusting," he asked, making a face.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It tastes fine to me," she said as she gulped down another glass.

He watched her in amazement, awe and slight disgust. How did she survive so long on them?

"This tastes okay to you because you haven't tasted real blood," he said frowning. "I have told my witches to find a solution to your problem. You can't live on blood bags forever," he said concerned. "What if you're in some place where we can't find someone who would give you their blood willingly? I can't take that risk. We have to find a solution soon," he added looking down at the blood bags with disgust.

For someone who met her just three and a half weeks ago, he was very concerned about her. She knew he cared about her. By the look on his face, he was in some deep thought. Probably thinking about all the people that could help her. The corner of his lips were still stained with blood.

"You have a little something-," she trailed off as she wiped the little remains of blood off the side of his mouth and sucked it off her thumb, slowly and sensually. When her eyes darted back to him she noticed an immediate change in his behavior. His eyes were dark with undeniable lust, in an almost threatening way. He advanced toward her and she reflexively backed up a few steps. He moved toward her, acting more like a hunter than a lust-filled lover until he had her caught between him and the wall of the living room. He was glad he kicked everyone out in the morning. There was no one here to disturb him and his doe-eyed vampire.

Lightly, oh so softly, he touched her hair and hug her to him, he wanted to rock her and tell her how much he loved her. He pulled her tightly to him as he kissed her neck until his lips trailed to her lips. One week of complete torture. One week of staying away from her. One week of just looking at her from a safe distance. Everything was worth this moment as his lips hovered above hers.

Elena felt his warm breath on her face. She had tried to stay away. She had done everything. She had ignored him, insulted him and done everything to remove him from her life. But somehow like always he got his way and now she was again with him. This time of her own will. The pull she felt to him was so strong it drove her insane.

His hand bound her to her waist so tight that she hardly could move; his other hand notched her face up to his. He softly touched her lips with his. His mouth hungrily covered hers as he silently pleaded her to grant him entry. She did as he wanted. He fumbled with the buttons on her blouse before opening it. His hands roamed down under her blouse. By now she knew he loved skin on skin contact. She felt his thick arousal against her thigh as he kissed her with zeal.

Her phone chimed disturbing their moment. "No! Don't answer" he pleaded. He remembered how last time his one phone call with Stefan almost ruined everything.

"I have to," she said as she slightly pushed him away. "Just two minutes," she whispered.

"Fine! You answer the call I will go set up stuff for our dinner. We will continue this later." He said pecking her cheek as he made his way toward the kitchen. "Don't keep me waiting too much," he called from the kitchen.

"I won't," she shouted back with a grin.

Elena took out her cell phone from her jeans. Elijah was calling her. The guy who really liked her and was interested in building a good future with her. The guy her family approved of. But in that moment she didn't care who her family thought would be good for her. "Just one weekend," she murmured to herself. "One selfish weekend with the man who made her feel alive won't hurt," she added to herself. With that one thought, she canceled Elijah's call.

..

..

**Beta credits Alta Beron

Review?


	11. Sweet Deceit

**Chapter 10**

* * *

"No. No. No! This is sugar not salt. Woman! Have you ever been in kitchen?" he asked brushed her away.

"I've told you I don't have time to cook." Elena replied, embarrassed. In the past one hour, she had done nothing but mess up whatever he handed her to do. It took Damon five minutes to know that his doe eyed vampire girlfriend didn't know the first thing about cooking. She couldn't even differentiate between sugar and salt. _She is lucky I know how to cook_. He thought.

"How are you even alive?"

"I always have lunches and dinners at one of my brothers' house. I don't ever need to cook" she retorted.

And then flash...a look of panic appeared on her face as if she said too much. Damon didn't know why she always panicked whenever she mentioned her family. It wasn't like he was going to eat them. Did she not trust him with her family? Yes, he gets it. He was a vampire and Elena's family was still very much human but he wasn't stupid to munch on his girlfriend's family. She can trust him.

"That is no excuse. How can someone not know the difference between sugar and salt?" he mocked.

"I never needed to do it before" she said hiding her face in embarrassment.

"Well! Let me you teach you some basics. Welcome to cooking-101. I will be your teacher Mr. Salvatore. Now the first and foremost thing that you should know about cooking is to never season a spicy Spaghetti sauce with GODDAMN sugar" he yapped.

"It was a mistake. How many times do I have to apologize?" she replied frowning.

"You literally never apologized even once"

"Ok! I am sorry"

"Sure and umm by the way for future reference, this is milk and these are eggs, this is dry yeast and this yellow thing this is butter-"

"You think you're some kind of master chef just because you know how to make Spaghetti sauce"

"Correction, Baby vamp. I can make the best spaghetti sauce in the world"

"Always so smug. You think the whole world revolves around you, right? You think you're better than everyone else in the world?" she said frowning. Sometimes his smugness annoyed her. How can someone be so self conceited?

"My smugness is a part of my charm, darling. And for the record I don't THINK I am better than everyone else in the world. I AM better than everyone else" he said in a tone laced with arrogance.

She didn't have any reply to that. He felt no shame in showing off and accepting that he was indeed very arrogant. He was different from the men in her clan because male vampires from Originals always treated her like royalty. They would agree to whatever she said whether she was right or wrong. They never challenged her views. Because they were scared of her siblings. They never treated her as an equal.

Damon mixed the chopped vegetables and seasoned them pouring them into a bowl. He looked at her. Her hair curtained her face. They had soft brown shade like peering at sun just when it was about to drown in darkness. He loved running his fingers through her long soft hair. He knew they were soft before he even touched them, thanks to his dreams. "By the way, I forbid you to ever cut your hair. I like them long" he said with a crooked smile. However his smile faltered when he noticed she wasn't even listening to him.

She saw his lips move but she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't quite caught what he said. "Baby Vamp!" he snapped her out of her daze.

"You zoned out on me" he said with a pout. He didn't like that something else would occupy her mind when she was with him. These were his stolen moments. He got them after a week of scheming to get her alone with him. He wasn't going to share.

"Sorry! What were you saying?" she asked with a sheepish smile.

Her smiled melted his heart. Wiping his hands off with a napkin, he took one threatening step closer to her. "I demand your undivided attention when you're with me, Elena. You're not allowed to think about anything but me when you're with me. No college, No Jenna, No Jeremy or Nick, Not anyone but me" he said in a voice full of authority.

She frowned slightly. As much as his possessiveness thrilled her sometimes it also scared her to the core. It reminded her so much of Klaus and Kol's behavior around their girlfriends before their mating bond. The very thought shivered her. She could not go through it.

"Stop that" she said.

"What?"

"Stop acting like a possessive jerk" she hissed.

"I can't. I can't stop being possessive. I am so crazy about you," he began saying while moving close to her , wrapping his arms around her waist and dropping his forehead on hers. "and I know that you're not that into me like I am into you. It drives me insane because I am happy; you make me happy and I want to be the only one who makes you happy. I really want this to work" he stopped . "I just don't want to lose you, Elena" he breathed.

"I am sounding like some kind of paranoid lunatic. Aren't I?" he added after awhile.

"It's not like you were ever on my list of top five sane people" she answered, smirking. When she looked up to him she noticed his eyes darkened. His eyes dancing from her lips to her eyes. He drew her nearer, her body full against his. He touched her lips with his fingertips. To him, she was an exquisite sketch of a goddess brought back to life. His eyes darted back from her lips to her eyes. She furrowed , confused; she couldn't understand why he was so mesmerized by her. Before he could lean in and capture her lips.

"What's the smell?" she said sniffing.

"Fuck!" he cursed as he unwrapped his arms from around her and raced to the oven. When he took the chicken out and removed the lid of the pot, he almost groaned in frustration as he noted that it had an unnatural color. He bit his lip and brought the chicken to the table. "I think it's burned," he said aloud. He looked so disappointed.

"It doesn't look that bad" Elena tried to comfort him. He huffed loudly as he backed a few steps. The back of his arm touched the bowl of spaghetti sauce that moved over the edge and crashed on the ground spilling its contents in every direction.

Elena's shot up to the raging vampire. That flaring of nostrils, that curling of fists, that biting of a bottom lip already swollen, the darkening of those irises. He looked ready to explode. "I can't get one thing right-" before he could start, she walked over to him, touching his arm. "It's okay. It's okay. We will just eat outside. We can have a homemade dinner tomorrow. It's not a big deal" she said rubbing his arm.

He instantly relaxed at her touch and tried to control his temper tantrum. She didn't need to see him losing his cool. So what he screwed up and made a complete idiot of himself in front of the girl that he was trying so hard to impress.

"Always screwing up things…" she heard him mumble. She found this quite man she had originally believed to be an arrogant asshole had only been trying to impress her. She felt a bit bad for treating him like doormat for a week.

"We could go out on a dinner... you can show me around the town. It will be fun, like the last time" she propositioned. "It would be like a date" she added, smiling. That brought a smirk on his face. "Are you asking me out on a dinner date?" he asked with a mock shocked face.

"Yes…" she smiled, circling her arms around his neck.

"Umm…let me think about it" he said pressing his lips.

She glared at him. "You know what on second thought-"

"Okay! Okay…At least this time you're going voluntarily" he replied fast. "Let me just clean this up" he added looking at the spilled sauce with a look of disgust.

She unhooked her arms around him. He quickly grabbed a bunch of towels and carefully cleaned the kitchen floor. After wiping it clean he disposed the towels in the bin and vamp sped to the sink. She watched him clean his hands repeatedly.

"Do you have some sort of cleaning disorder?" she asked in an amused tone.

"What? No" he said. "I just like everything clean and in perfect order" he answered washing his hands again.

"Huh! So you're one of those" she said nodding.

"what?"

"One of those people who can't get a life beyond their obsession with flicking the dust off from the glove that's glued to their hand"

"I told you I am not a neat freak. I'm just orderly" he said as he busied himself in cleaning the counters of kitchen. He took out a handheld vacuum and cleaned every last bit of dirt off the counter while she grinned. _Definitely a neat freak._ She thought. This wasn't too good. She had known from an experience that Neat freak equals control freak.

Once he was done, he washed his hands again. With a slight shy grin, he offered her his hand. She rolled her eyes but laced her fingers through his as they walked out of the kitchen to the main door.

* * *

Seated across from each other, Damon looked at his date. She was focused on the menu. He reached out and made a grab for her hand that was on the table. Her hand lingered in his a bit before she pulled it away, vaguely aware that he hung on loosely, making her fingers slide from his grip.

He couldn't help but keep his hands on her, anywhere, as long as he was touching her somehow he felt calm and happy. Seated across from each other, the damn table in between them was making it difficult for him to touch her. Under the table, the side of his foot slowly brushed the side of her knee.

Elena's eyes shot from the menu cards to him, warning him with her eyes. "Stop it" she murmured calmly. He smirked as his foot moved up her knee. She peered up at him innocently as she kicked his shin. He flinched. The girl could kick he would give her that.

"Please! Keep your hands—and your legs—to yourself. We are in a public place and there are children around" she said her eyes still on the menu.

"Don't be such a prude" he said making face.

"Not everyone can be crude and vulgar like you"

"Since when is holding your girlfriend's hand vulgar?" he asked narrowing his eyes.

"I don't enjoy public display of affections" she said.

"Well I do. I want to show everyone the passionate desire I have for you. I want to tell the world that you're mine" he replied boldly.

"You're weird"

"I'm not weird; I just fall outside your exceptionally narrow view of the world." He replied coolly. "Seriously live a little. Your uptightness suffocates me" he added. In a way, he was right. She never did learn to live properly. Always so guarded and protected like a porcelain doll. Never allowed and trusted to make her own decisions. Never allowed to make mistakes. No, she always had to be perfect. But she wasn't going to accept that. Especially in front of the arrogant asshole version of him.

"I am not uptight. It's called normal human behavior. You wouldn't know because you don't know the first thing about maturity"

"Immaturity is the new fabulous" he replied not minding at all.

She didn't have reply to that. He managed to dumbfound her again. He smirked satisfied that he won the argument.

"What? No comeback?" he mocked.

"Is it possible to shut your mouth, even for two seconds?" she snapped.

"Is that your way of asking me to kiss you?"

"You're impossible" she huffed.

"Stop acting like you don't like it. We both know that you adore me and you want to fuck my brains out" he said with a slight smirk.

He adored the sweet blush that covered her face. Swallowing hard, she forced her gaze away, otherwise he would surely see the want in her eyes, if he hadn't already. "I wish you would stop being so vile" she said as she tried to keep a straight face.

He mock gasped as he fell back in his chair, laying his hand, feebly on his heart. "How can I deny you anything when you ask so nicely" he breathed. "Ok! I promise I will never be vile ever again…unless we are in bed in which case I will probably dirty talk to you"

She casts her eyes downward and smiled. He can never change.

He chuckled. "Don't worry I didn't see the blush on your face"

"Are you ready to order?" their server interrupted them.

His behavior instantly changed from nice and playful to strict and tough as he glared at the person who interrupted them. He just got her complete undivided attention and he was in no mood to share it even for a second.

"I will have eggplant parmesan" she chimed with a smile.

"You're an eggplant girl, huh?" he asked.

"Is that bad , you don't like eggplant?" she asked, looking alarmed.

"Love it. Just taking notes" he replied.

"For what? our second date'

"I was thinking five year anniversary" he replied.

She shook her head with a smile.

"and you?" the server asked Damon.

"I will have what she is having" he said dismissing him.

"So, after this-" Damon continued talking but was rudely interrupted by their server again. "What about dessert?"

He glared at the disgusting human, thinking of all the ways he could rip his head off that is until his doe eyed vampire sitting across him touched his hand slightly as if to calm him down.

"Chocolate Caramel bars" she said.

"I just hate it when someone interrupts me" he mumbled under breath.

"You really have serious temper issues. No?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

He nodded. He had a tendency to get very angry if things didn't go his way and really needed time to cool down, but surprisingly the girl across him could easily calm him down by her mere touch. A part of him never wanted to show her his anger outburst. He never tolerated people who talked back to him but somehow when she did he didn't minded much. He actually adored her courage to not get intimidated by him. Then again, he never wanted to intimidate her, he tried to be playful and funny around her. This was a side of him that no one other than her and his close friends could see.

"Why don't you get professional help?" she asked.

"I am not crazy" he replied feeling indignant.

"There is no shame in getting counseling. Hell my elder brother turns into raging banshee when he is angry. Caroline made him go to counseling and now he admits that he feels hell a lot better-"

"It's just a load of bull crap" he said making a face.

"I am doing a degree in psychology" she said with a straight face.

"Oh…Ummm…then it's not bull crap"

"How can you be a walking Casanova if you don't even know how to talk to women properly?" she said with a cold sigh.

"I don't talk much. It's more of Wham- Bam-Thank you- Ma'am kinda situation all the time" he replied boldly.

Just then their server came back with two helpers and placed their food on table. As they started eating Elena asked "then why are you so different with me? Why am I an exception?"

 _Because I am in love with you. Because you drive me crazy. Because I want to live the rest of my eternity with you. Because I was in love with you before I ever knew you existed._ He thought.

"You make me happy and I haven't been happy for a very long time. There's something in your smile. Something about your style. Something about the way you talk back to me. Maybe it's the sexy way you walk? The softness of your skin? The innocent and raw emotions in your beautiful eyes? I just knew that if I didn't get you they'd just cram up in my head and I would just go insane" he spoke earnestly.

"Wow" she breathed looking away nervously. "You really are good at this" He stared at her, at the nervous way she rubbed her palms over the sides of her worn jeans. He envied them. The way they clung to her legs.

"I am not playing you, Baby Vamp. I mean it" he said earnestly.

The next one hour passed in the blink of an eye. She lost count on how many times he made her laugh as he told her stories about his clan.

"It was crazy in the start working the wolves. There was this one wolf that burst through my living room like a wrecking ball and attacked Stefan. He was screaming like a bitch and didn't talk to me for a month. Before Bonnie came along, we had to tie the wolves in the cellar on full moon until they learned to control the transformation" he explained.

He stopped; he took his spoon, tapped it gently and broke through the crust of the caramel bar. He took a small bite and offered the rest to her. She opened her mouth as he fed her.

"I should probably buy a round of shot for everyone here" he said with a content sigh.

"Huh"

"We went one hour without fighting for an hour. That is a fucking milestone." He said with a devilish grin. "I mean with the constant bickering you-" he was interrupted by her.

"Are you implying that I'm the one who always starts the argument?" she said playfully narrowing.

"Fine! Let's argue about who starts the argument" he said with an amused smile.

"Keep that attitude and this will end before it even started" she said pointing to him and herself.

"You will have to stake me to keep me away from you" he said as possessive streak passed through him. "I don't think I will survive losing you" he added with blunt honesty. He wanted to show her his true intentions with her.

"I am sure you will find someone else to entertain you. There are plenty of fishes in sea" she replied indifferently.

"Yes there are, too bad I am not interested in dating a fish" he retorted. She giggled again.

She took the spoon from him and plunged into the dessert bowl. He opened his mouth to accept it from my fingers, but she playfully pulled it away, teasing him.

"You know better than to tease a century old vampire" he warned playfully as he held her wrist and ate the caramel bar off it.

She rolled her eyes with a slight giggle. "Umm…We have to close down" the server interrupted them again. Elena glanced around the room. The restaurant was nearly empty. "I can compel…" he said looking at her.

"No! We should probably leave them to do their work"

"Translation, I wanna get you into bed but I am too uptight and proud to say that I want you" he mocked.

A blush covered her face. He just loved to embarrass her in front of everyone."Do you even hear the obscenity that is coming out of your mouth?" she snapped at him.

"How long have you two been married?" another server asked them curiously.

"We are not-" he stammered.

"I rather eat vervain grenades" she replied with a shudder.

Paying his bill, he pulled her by her hand and laced his fingers with her and dragged her with him outside.

* * *

"You drive like a maniac" she said as soon as he stopped the car in driveway. He pulled out the keys and vamp sped to her side and threw her door open. He grasped her wrist and pulled her out.

"Can't . Wait. Any . Longer" he whispered. Before she knew to stop him, he pulled her into his arms and his lips met hers. He ravished her mouth with vengeance. He expected her to be surprised, but instead, her hands went around his neck as she softly moaned into his mouth. She heard an answering growl come from his throat as he wrapped his arm around her waist and jerked her up , pressing her even more against his hardness.

She lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. Something about this man made her forget everything. She didn't remember the thousand promises she made to herself that she would stay away from him. She didn't remember that she was suppose to hate him. She didn't remember that her family would probably skin her alive if they found out about her betrayal. She forgot everything when he devoured her mouth and throat with utmost tenderness and love as if she was the most precious thing to him.

She kissed him back, pushing against him just as he pressed her harder against the door he vamp sped at. "We need to…bedroom" she tried to speak. "Aha" he said as he sucked on a soft spot on her neck.

He hiked her up, his lips trailing back to her lips, as she wrapped herself more tightly around him. His urgency for her was overwhelming. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on getting them both to his bedroom. Thanking God for his supernatural abilities he zoomed them to his bedroom without colliding with a wall.

"I can't wait." Damon practically ripped off her clothes before tossing her on the bed. He wriggled his arms free of both sleeves and pulled off his shirt. Any trace of lightheartedness Elena had remaining left as he hovered above her. His lips crashed against hers, smothering the small whimper that escaped her mouth.

He pulled back after what seemed to be forever and took the sight in front of him. Her dark curls spread haphazardly across his pillows. He hurriedly wrapped his arms, and the blanket, around her, pulling her close, feeling her warmth. He brought his lips down the smooth column of her neck, dropping kisses as he went.

"Madness," he whispered. "You drive me to madness." He added as his lips trailed down from her neck to her chest. He lowered his head and took her nipple in his mouth, suckling at her, his eyes on her the whole time. Her head tipped back, her back arched.

His lips trailed down her to flat belly as his hands removed the offensive lace underwear. He almost moaned as he felt her wetness for him. A possessive streak passed over him. He wanted her to say "it". His lips trailed up to her. "Say it" he ordered as he sucked on her neck making her whimper.

"What?" she breathed.

"You know it. You know what I wanna hear" he growled. "You're mine, baby. Admit it."

"Say it. Say it!"

"Yes," she gasped as his fingers slid inside her.

He smirked. She sneaked her hands down as they dropped to the waist of his denims. She didn't blush as she had the last time they had been together; instead her gaze held his, strong and sure of what she wanted. Stripping him off his jeans, she waited in anticipation for him to take charge. "You don't know how long I have waited for this" he murmured harshly as he laced his fingers through hers and pinned them on either side of her head on the bed.

Slowly, he entered her, the hot, hard tip of his manhood plunging into her softness, making her cry out with longing. Their gazes locked as he made love to her with such slow, passionate strokes. He kissed her harder as he plunged deeper, more forceful strokes as the need to claim her took over.

She sank her teeth into her lower lip as he jerked forwards, slamming hard into her, and groaned. He relished her moans, reveled in her soft reaction to his strokes. With soft cry she finally attained her orgasm with him following after her soon. He fell on her top of her hiding his face in the crook of her neck.

* * *

Elena was still sleeping. They had a long night. He had taken her three times and he still wanted her. He couldn't ever get tired of her. He had one more day before he had to drop her back to college. So far, everything was going great. He wanted to give her the best weekend. He wanted to show her around the town. He wanted to show her a little in glance of his life. But that could all wait. He did have an eternity with her.

Later when he was sure she had enough sleep he had woken her up with breakfast in bed. He cooked a great omelet, made her a strong cup of decaffeinated coffee and toast with just the right amount of butter and syrup on the side. She was surprised by his tenderness and consideration. After breakfast, they showered together and made passionate love again. When she came out of the washroom with him after a long session of love making she remembered that he had ripped her clothes of last night and now she had nothing to wear.

"I like you naked anyway" he shrugged when she reminded him.

She glared at him. "Okay! Okay! You can wear my shirt" he suggested. She rolled her eyes and walked to his closet.

His eyes were glued on her back as he pulled on his jeans. His phone buzzed loudly. "I gotta take this" he muttered as he walked out of the room.

"Are we allowed to come back?" Enzo asked.

"No. Stay somewhere else till Sunday evening"

"We won't bother you much"

"What part of get your own place don't you understand" he muttered.

"Fine but don't come crying to us when she dumps your ass"

"Whatever" he muttered.

"Will you be coming here at the training ground today?" Enzo asked.

"I'm not sure-"

"You can bring your girl and show her around here."

"I will have to ask her"

"Oh…so you're one of those?"

"One of what?"

"Washed down love sick puppy dog"

"Screw you"

"Not even if my life depended on it" Enzo chuckled.

"Way to make everything awkward…I will text you if I am coming up" he replied before he hung up. He walked back in his room. She stood at the dresser wearing his shirt which fell to the middle of her sun kissed colored thighs. And he couldn't take his eyes off.

"You are forbidden to wear anything but my shirts from now on" he said as he wrapped his arms around her, rested his chin on her shoulder. She giggled slightly casting her eyes down. She looked at their reflection in the mirror of the dresser.

"You are so beautiful." He softly kissed her nape. "You're actually killing me."

She rolled her eyes spinning around. "You know…you never showed me your sketches" she reminded him.

"You wanna see my sketches?" he asked, smiling.

She nodded, innocently. "Okay! Wait here" he said as he zoomed to another room and came back after a few minutes holding some sketch pads.

The next half hour passed as she gushed over his sketches. Her eyes wide with awe and adoration as she flipped through pages of his sketch pad. She asked a lot of questions. Why he made it? When he made it? How can he make it so beautifully? And the last his personal favorite question.

"Can you teach me how to sketch?" she asked.

"Can I ever say no to you?" he replied. She beamed at him pecking him once before she continued going through the sketch pads. "This so beautiful…It's the view of that sunrise we watched together. Isn't it?" she asked recognizing one of the sketch. He nodded, smiling. "It looks even better here" she murmured, mesmerized as she ran her fingers on the page.

"Yes but this one…I made it an year back" he informed. "All these sketches are" he added.

"That rooftop is one of your favorite spot. Isn't it?"

He made a face. "It wasn't before but now it is" he said with a crooked smile.

She was so engrossed in his sketches that when he pulled her towards him, and into his lap, locking his arms around on her flat stomach. He pulled her hair to a side, kissing her neck, breathing in her beauty, and stroking her cheek. The fragrance of her blood was blinding him. He wanted to bite her. He wanted to claim her his. The urge was so strong that for a second he vamped out. He instantly regained his composure. He leaned in and nuzzled her neck. He heard her gasp. His eyes darted to the sketch pad on her lap.

He froze as he saw one of her eyes he made an year back.

"Is this me?" she asked in a surprised tone.

"Uh…"

"When did you make this?"

"Recently" He almost face palmed himself. He had made sure he had hidden the sketch pad of her sketches. He had a separate pad exclusively for her.

"but you said these are sketches from an year back" she said narrowing her eyes.

"Did I? Huh…I must have confused this one with another sketch book"

"It's really pretty though" Elena said with a shy smile.

"It's not even close to the real thing. I could never do them justice" he said with a sigh.

"They are remarkably beautifully pure, stunningly brown and soft like velvet. So innocent and angelic…" he said as he cupped her face. He was obsessed with her eyes. They captivated him and mesmerized him for years.

Elena looked at him with a confused face. His face looked so sincere, his eyes held so much desire. Why does he act like this? Why was he so drawn to her? She thought, confused.

"Well! Your eyes are really really blue and pretty"" she replied. He let out a laugh at her bluntness.

"What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing" This was also something he loved about her. She was so adorably comfortably in being herself. She wasn't pretentious.

The rest of the hour passed with him trying to cop a feel while she was engrossed going through his sketches.

* * *

"You're a fucking vampire. Why the hell are you afraid of a horror movie?" he asked when she flat out refused to watch a horror movie with him.

"I am not afraid. I just don't feel uncomfortable watching a horror movie" she said making a face.

"You're the biggest wimp vampire I have seen in my life" he mocked her

"I am dating an unhinged, century old vampire who tried to kill me the first time and kidnapped me several times when I refused to go out with him. That gets me out of list of top ten wussies" she said waving him off.

"We are watching rom-com" she said as she took the remote from him.

"Over my dead body" he snarled.

"That could be arranged" she replied coolly.

"Baby, a horror movie is hundred times better then a romantic movie. When you're watching horror, your fear takes over and you're completely immersed in the film. That doesn't happen with rom-coms." He said as he tried to explain.

" I don't want to be immersed in a world where driving down a highway can end up with chainsaw-wielding cannibal family torturing you"

"Admit it! You're just a wussy"

"SHUT UP."

"MAKE ME."

"We are not watching a rom-com and that's final!"

"The hell we are!" she raged.

"Why am I even arguing when I can just snatch the remote-" he said as he quickly took the remote from her hand. "Older and stronger" he reminded her as he waved the remote in front of her hands. He was over the moon, proud and smug by his strength and she looked like she wanted to send him to the moon.

"Give it back" Times like this made her wonder how some kind of psycho like him could manage to scrounge up enough charm to attract her.

"Oh…I am convinced" he said making an amused face.

She launched on him knocking him onto the bed and tried to yank the remote from Damon's hand. He could easily pin her down. He held back his full strength and playfully wrestled her. She pinched the muscle between his shoulder until Damon flexed his hand enough for Elena to snatch it back. She squealed happily as she won.

"I win" she cheered as she straddled him. He rolled his eyes and looked up at doe eyed vampire. His girlfriend. His world. He willingly sacrificed his victory for her happiness. By now, he knew she loved to win. That was something they both had in common. Damon always won. He never accepted defeat. He hated losing. That's what made him a great leader. But he was willing to lose any game from her for her happiness.

"Who is the tough vampire now?" she said arrogantly.

Ok. Game over.

He flipped them on the bed. "I am" he said wiggling his brows.

She flushed, lowered her lashes, suddenly flustered as the reality hit her. He let her win. Didn't he? When she looked into his eyes to ask him she found her voice stuck in her throat as she noticed the look on his face. The mesmerized look he had whenever he looked into her eyes. She knew what was coming next.

She smiled at him touching his face. She hasn't thought even once about her family till now. It was like when he was around all she could see, all she could hear and all she could think, was him. It was as if he casted a spell on her. She had never been so happy. She had never felt so alive. He leaned in her touch.

Slowly, oh, so softly, he pressed his lips to hers, as his fingers lost themselves in the thickness of her hair.

Flipping them over, with a yank, she tore open his shirt. She kissed his neck, his collarbone, hands moving to his bare chest. He moaned in pleasure as his hands worked to remove her shirt off her shoulders and cup her soft breasts. She swatted his hands away as she delved lower to his torso as she trailed her long nails down his abdomen, making him quiver with desire.

Her lips continued down his abdomen as she unbuckled his jeans. He hurriedly pushed him off himself, eager for more of her attention. Her lips trailed from his waist to his erect shaft where she placed little kisses on the head before she took him completely into her. She gazed up at him while she rolled the head of his shaft between her lips and tongue. She took the head out of her mouth and licked the underside of him. Her lips trailed down his thighs biting them slightly.

When she took him again in his mouth, he rejoiced with relief silently. He groaned and fisted his hands in her already ruffled hair, thrusting his hips up so she could take more. By the sound of his groans and whimper she knew he was soon about to explode.

He had been with countless women and she still made him feel like a nervous inexperienced teenager. It didn't matter how experienced he was. He felt like a washed down, love sick puppy when he was around her.

"Baby vamp…I can't…I can't hold on much longer" he managed to choke. The vixen didn't even care. She continued her delicious assault on him. He didn't know when he lost senses as his orgasm shook through his body.

When he regained senses she was grinning at him with her devilish grin.

"You're something else" he complemented.

She smirked. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. Flipping them over so now he was on top. He sucked on her neck, fighting his temptations to bite her. Once, he was hard again, he plunged into her without any sort of warning. No need for fore-play. Their whole conversation was fore-play. They had been circling each other the day they set eyes on each other for the first time.

He groaned as her hands ran around his scalp, scraping the skin there and pulling him in for a deeper kiss. Then anchoring his hands on her hips, he plunged in to her, determined to exorcise this consuming maddening need he had for her. He just couldn't get enough of her. The thought that she was going back to her college tomorrow scared him. How was he suppose to live a whole week without her. Yes, he already decided to bring her back home next weekend.

He leaned up on his elbows as he readied himself to plunge deep inside her _. I love you. I want you for forever._ He repeated in his mind over and over again. He wished he could say it out loud. For a second he considered locking her up permanently in his house but that wasn't normal and he was sure she wouldn't like this idea.

He whispered gently to her. He told her how much he wanted her. How much she drove him insane and how much he hurt when she threw him out of her dorm. He told her how much he adored her. He told her how much he found her beautiful. Kissing her lips and drawing her tongue into his mouth, mumbling against it as he cupped her face. He evened out his strokes, forcing himself deep into her before they both rode out their orgasms.

Panting in after bliss, he pulled her close to his chest as he closed his eyes. He couldn't wait for her college to be over. He was going to bring her here to live with him forever and that was final.

* * *

It took them time to get dressed again but they were finally here on the training ground. Just because his girlfriend was in town didn't mean he was off duties. He enjoyed seeing her bare legs in another one of dress she borrowed from Bonnie when he insisted on taking her out to show her training sessions.

He was holding her hand as he showed her his fighter vampires. The exact vampires they used whenever they had some brawl with her clan. She kept her cool as she observed everything. They weren't just for her family. Every clan kept fighter vampire troops in case another clan decides to attack.

"Don't attack from the front" Damon growled at the young vampires who were learning battle techniques. "You will get your neck snapped before you know it" he added strictly.

The young vampire cowered as he realized the chief was addressing him. They continued training as Enzo taught them. Damon watched them with a strict glare and often demonstrated fight moves whenever needed. Elena was standing with the witch Bonnie as her boyfriend worked, occasionally winking or waving at her.

"I have never seen him so happy before" Bonnie snapped her out of her thoughts.

"huh" Elena looked taken aback.

"You have the power to make him really miserable when you're ignoring him and really happy when you're standing alongside him" she continued.

"I didn't intend on making him miserable. I have some…I have some problems" Elena couldn't quite explain.

Bonnie looked at her quizzically. "I get it he is impulsive and really dangerous when you cross him but you mean hell a lot to him. He has got real good heart. It's just been broken a lot of times. He is fighting so hard to keep you around…you make him happy. Just don't hurt him" Bonnie said softy touching her arm.

"Uh…Aha…Okay" Elena replied nodding.

"And I am always here for you whenever you need me. You're practically family now."

"Oh…That's very nice of you" Elena replied with a formal smile.

"I mean it. If he brought you here at the training ground. He must trust you a lot" Bonnie said with a slight chuckle.

"What's so special about this place?" Elena asked looking around.

"Elena…" a voice said. She span around. The blonde vampire was looking at her with a soft smile. "Hi"

"Hi! Stefan" Elena replied with a tight lipped smile. Damon's brother didn't like her much. His last threat to her was still very fresh in her mind.

"Can I steal our guest for a minute?" he said looking at Bonnie. He offered his hand to Elena.

Elena didn't want to go with Stefan. She looked at the training ground where her boyfriend was busy teaching his fighter vampires. "Come on Elena! I won't bite" Stefan said with a devilish smile. She placed her palm in his hand as he walked with her toward a corner of the field. She looked back as she noticed he brought very further away from where the rest of Ripper clan were.

"Scared?" Stefan voice brought her out of her thoughts.

She flinched when his fingers trailed up her arm. "I am not scared of anyone. Touch me and you will be eating dust off the ground before you know it" Elena hissed with a smile.

"Why? Will you call your boyfriend and complain about me?" Stefan mocked.

"I don't need my boyfriend to defend me against YOU. I can handle you myself" she replied.

"Feisty!huh…I see why he likes you" Stefan smirked.

"Is there any point to this? Why did you want to talk to me?" Elena said folding her arms on her chest.

Stefan stepped closer. He smiled and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I just wanted to warn you. My brother is thinking from his dick rather than the brain or he wouldn't have brought you here. I understand he is smitten by you. Who wouldn't? Because my God you're beautiful (sigh) but if i found out you have some hidden agenda against my clan. I swear to God I will track you down and tear your limb from limb before I end your miserable life" he said with a very sweet smile that scared her. "I am very protective of my clan" he added.

"And yeah…score down that bitchy attitude. I won't tolerate it if you hurt my brother again. I don't care if he is crazy about you I will burn you and drain every drop of your human family if you fuck with his head again…" he said a smile plastered on his face, tucking another strand behind her hair.

"My brother should not know about this if you want your family alive". He whispered. He bent down to kiss her cheek. "So glad to have you here…"

* * *

After teaching the young scrawny useless vampires another move, he looked up to see his girlfriend. She wasn't standing next to Bonnie. His eyes narrowed. He had specifically told her to not roam around here. This part of the forest was deadly and dangerous. Yes, she was vampire but he wasn't taking any risks.

He zoomed in front of Bonnie. "Where is Elena?" he demanded.

"Calm down! She is with Stefan" Bonnie replied.

"No! No! No! You were not supposed to let her go with anyone. Wasn't I clear enough?" he said, annoyed.

"Where did they go?" he added.

"Towards the meadows" Bonnie replied no question asked. She knew how male vampires got over their mates. Elena wasn't his mate yet but he was in love with her. He was just as protective and possessive as a mate would be.

He vamp sped to where he Bonnie had told him. He didn't have to go much further. They were standing in a corner. Stefan was smiling at her. He was standing close to her. A little too close. Pettishly, he felt insane jealousy at their proximity. Just then Stefan ran his fingers through her hair. His thoughts burned with rage thinking of someone else touching the girl he loved. He didn't care if that someone else was his brother.

Stefan said something in her ear and dipped down kissing her cheek. A surge of nerve burn jealousy ran through his body as he witnessed that. He didn't look away and stood there watching that like a masochist as he felt his hands clench with unmitigated rage.

"So glad to have you here…" Stefan said loudly.

"What's going on here?" he interrupted them trying his best to keep his cool.

"Just talking to this amazing woman here…She is really something" Stefan said sweetly.

"You could have talked there with all of us around. You didn't need to bring her here alone" Damon retorted.

"Why? Can't I talk to Elena? She is my friend too" Stefan asked.

"No! You can't" Damon retorted taking a step toward him. Elena held his arm, calming him down with her touch. Somehow, she knew it always worked. He relaxed slightly at her touch.

"Stefan…" Bonnie's voice came from a little further. "We need your help here" she added.

Stefan nodded. "If we are done here, Can I go?" he asked his brother.

"Scram" Damon ordered. Stefan smirked as he moved past him and zoomed towards Bonnie.

"We were just talking" Elena said after a minute, once she was sure he calmed down.

"I know…" he said looking away. "But that fucker was touching you, it nearly drove me insane." He added. He could never hide his emotions. He was never the one to hide. He loved furiously and he hated furiously. Everything had to be extreme with him. There was no in between.

"It was harmless. You know that you're the only one I want" Elena comforted him.

He looked slightly taken aback. "I am?" he breathed.

Okay. She said too much. She nodded. A grin broke on his face.

"I know you will eventually break" he said cockily. "I mean seriously who can ever resist Damon Salvatore" he added smugly.

"You know what else I can't resist…breaking your smug nose If you don't stop that" she retorted blushing.

He smirked with an evil glint in his eyes.

"Stop smiling! Stop looking so cute and happy! No! Bad Caveman!" she mocked, hitting him on the arm.

"Caveman?" he asked frowning.

She nodded. He smiled. He laced his fingers through hers as they walked silently in between chestnut trees.

"Everyone keeps saying that you trust me too much because you brought me here" Elena said breaking the intimate silence.

"I do…I do trust you a lot" he answered, smiling as he looked at her. "I trust you with my life"

"What's so special about this place? It's a bunch of trees" Elena said looking around, ignoring the fact that he just reveled he trusted her.

"It's special because this part of the forest is the reason all of us are alive" he replied smirking.

"Huh"

"These are white oak trees. The bark of these trees is used to make stakes. Only white oak trees can kill off Originals" he said. She stiffened slightly but tried to keep her cool. She looked around curiously.

"No…these are not. These are not white oak trees. These are chestnut trees" Elena said after a minute.

He smirked slightly. "That's just an optical illusion due to Bonnie's spell" he revealed.

"What?"

"You think Originals would let it grow if they knew where their only destruction tool is. They would burn the forest down to ground. The Bennett clan has helped us throughout the century to keep these trees hidden. We'd be all dead the day Originals found out about this place" he said.

Elena looked around. She praised their planning in her head. They were very smart. She memorized the location unconsciously. Damon was too far in love to know that he had just given the girl he loved a way to finish everything he build for over centuries.

He gaze was fixated on her face as she looked around with awe on her face. Oh! How he loved her.

* * *

To Damon, weekend passed in a blink of an eye and he finally had to drop her back to college. He tried to enjoy the time he had left with her on his drive back but he couldn't. He was afraid she was going to shut out on him again.

"You were really quiet, today" Elena said as he parked in front of her dormitory. "Is something bothering you?" she said as she ran her fingers on the nape of his neck.

"Promise me you won't shut out on me this time?" he said.

Her heart squeezed in guilt. This was exactly what she told herself on her way back. That this to end. But she didn't want it to end. _Just one month_. _It's just a crush. I will get over it in a month. What harm could one month do?_ She thought. _Just to get him out of my system._ She lied to her conscience again. She was aware that she was deceiving her own self. The worst sort of deception is self deception. It would only end in destruction. But when he looked at her with such hopeful eyes as if his world depended on this answer she just had to say.

"I promise"

"We will call daily?" he asked.

"Yes"

"You will spend the next weekend with me?" He asked holding her wrist.

"I will"

"Won't your mum mind?"

"Don't pull that crap on me. I am a grown up woman. I make my own decisions" she chimed.

"My girl" he said smugly. He cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb, leaning in, he captured her lips tenderly. _I love you._ He said in his mind. _No one in your whole life will love you the way I do._ He thought. _I wish I could tell you this. I really wish I could. But I can't._ He thought as he kissed her forcefully parting her lips and exploring her mouth, cupping her face softly in his hands and thoroughly kissing her.

She pulled back almost in a dazed smile. "I have to report to management. I will call you at night" she said pecking him once again.

"Bye" she waved as she jumped out. He reversed the car out of the parking reluctantly and looked at her one last night before he raced out of the campus.

* * *

This week was killing him. Damon felt like this time was moving slow on purpose just to piss him off. He tried to focus on work. He was here with Alaric, in the vampire council. He was here to make sure Klaus fucking mix breed low life Michelson wasn't stewing anymore trouble.

Klaus Michelson and his fucking clan, where to begin. They were cheap and power hungry. Even the Vampire Council couldn't control them. For others their feud was over more blood. But it wasn't. It ran deeper. For centuries, creatures whimpered in fear by the name of their clan. He had almost killed werewolves to the point of extinction. He had burned witch clans alive that tried to restrict the Original clan from causing anymore destruction. They killed vampire clans that didn't obey Michael and Klaus. They were ruthless and terrifying. Rick was one of the oldest vampire who was brave enough to stand up against them. That did not go well with Klaus who killed Rick's wife Jo two centuries ago.

Devastated, Alaric swore to get revenge. He had made a clan of his own. He named them the Rippers. And he, Damon Salvatore was the lucky one to lead them. His clan consisted of all the creatures Klaus and his clan messed with. All the creatures whose lives were ruined by Original clan. United , vampires, werewolves, witches and hunters stood against one of the most oldest and terrifying clan of the world.

"Everything okay?" Alaric asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He nodded confidently.

Just then the bane of his life, Klaus fucking Michelson walked in suited in a navy blue suit. He looked at Damon with a look of disgust.

"Salvatore" he said as if it was an insult.

"Michelson" Damon spat back.

"Whose funeral is it?" Klaus said taking a jibe at his black suit.

"Haven't decided yet" Damon said looking around the room. "Play your cards right and you could be the one lucky man dying by the hands of yours truly" he added.

Out of nowhere ,Stefan came to stand beside his brother.

"I see the mini Satan is here too" Klaus said looking at Stefan with utmost disgust.

Stefan smirked. "Yeah…By the way, how is your sister? Do tell her I miss her" Stefan said in a bitter tone.

"Say that again and I will warm you right up on her behalf…by setting you on fire" Klaus hissed.

Damon chuckled. This always got Klaus. He never got over the fact that they used his own sister against him.

"Beats you two though…Ready to kill each other over a woman who never loved any of you" Klaus hissed back.

"And look what that got her in the end. She is rotting in hell as we speak." Damon said with a smirk.

"and you will be soon joining her too" Stefan added.

Klaus chuckled. " Bark all you want. We all know all of you lowlife Rippers together can't touch a single hair on my head. It's just a matter of time before I have you all on your knees begging me for forgiveness while I rip everyone's head off. So enjoy while you can" Klaus said dismissing them.

He moved toward the head of the council and talked to him silently. When he went out of the room, one of the council member called them.

"Klaus Michelson is getting married. He will be having human guests. By the order of council you and your clan members are not allowed to feed on them even if they cross the boundary in exchange for that they will take their case back regarding Bonnie Bennett's magic instability" Lord Alden stated.

Damon smirked. Weeks and weeks of scheming and now he won another case from Klaus. To other people this might be a understanding treaty but for him it was another battle he won without much of an effort.

Stefan chuckled. "This was so easy"

"-which is surprising" Alaric added. "Klaus fought furiously for months to prove that Bonnie should be put down because she was unstable. How can he just take his case back?" Alaric said.

"so that means" Damon caught up to his thoughts.

"He is thinking something big…"

* * *

 **So?**

 **Did you like it?**

 **Please Review as they make me smile all day**

 **Thank you for reading, following and reviewing**

 **It means the world to me**

 **So Just two TVD episodes left huh! It's just too scary now! I want my Delena babies to get a happy ending!**

 **Next chap: Someone is stalking Elena but who? When her boyfriend finds out he is out for blood!**


	12. I will always be there for you

Chapter 11: 'I'll always be there for you'

* * *

Elena was standing outside Jenna's office. Her aunt had called her to meet her immediately after her classes. By the looks of it, Jenna wasn't happy. She had lied to Jenna that she was staying over at her dorm while she was enjoying her weekend with her boyfriend. If you can even call him that.

She knocked on the door and entered. Jenna's eyes shot up to her and she instantly frowned. "Come in."

It didn't matter if Elena was a vampire and a hundred times stronger than her human aunt. She still cowered under her aunt's strict stare.

She said as they walked toward the living room "Honey, you know that I love you, right?"

Elena nodded.

"And you know that I consider you as my own daughter…" she continued in a hushed tone. "That gives me the right to call you on your shit," Jenna added, whispering.

Elena nodded.

"What the hell are you thinking by playing two very dangerous and old vampires?" Jenna suddenly snapped.

"What?" Elena looked taken aback.

"If one creepy guy wasn't enough now there is another one knocking on my door demanding to see you," Jenna snapped.

"I don't know who you're talking about?"

"I am talking about Elijah Smith."

"Ohh…"

"Ohh! Indeed. He is waiting in the living room for you," Jenna snapped. "We are going to talk about this," she added plastering a fake smile on her face as they entered the living room.

"Hi," Elena greeted him with a wide smile.

Elijah's eyes shot from the LED to her. "Hello," he stood up, smiling.

"I went to your dorm but your friends told me that you live with your aunt mostly," he added.

"Yeah…on and off. What are you doing here?" she asked nicely.

"I was hoping I could see you. You weren't answering my calls. I got worried," he said as he offered her his hand. She placed her palm in his hand and he carefully led her across the table and helped her sit next to him on the couch.

"I will give you two some privacy."

"I have been very busy and I didn't have time to answer any calls. I haven't even called Nick or Care…" she blabbed making excuses.

"Aha…very busy on the first week of the semester. I understand," Elijah answered with a sour smile.

Elena looked down, embarrassed.

"If you are free tonight we could go out on dinner? You did promise me a date," He said sweetly this time. He was attractive, Elena had to admit that. And unlike Damon, her family's worst enemy, he was one of the allies of her family and worshiped the ground her brother walked on. But, it still felt wrong to be with him. Jenna was right, she shouldn't play with his emotions.

"Listen El…you're a really nice guy…"

"Oh, No." Elijah sighed.

"I haven't even said anything yet," Elena said, surprised.

"I am an eight-hundred-year-old vampire. I know when a girl starts with _You're a very nice guy_ it can only mean one thing…she doesn't find you attractive and she is friendzoning your arse," he chimed.

Elena let out a giggle. "I do find you attractive."

"Then why not give us a chance?" he retorted back.

This annoyed Elena. What's with men and asking her to give them a chance. It wasn't like she was special. And it wasn't like she could give him a chance anyway. She was already with someone. She stopped for a second. Did she just accept that she was indeed in a relationship with Damon? Didn't she recently decide that it was going to be a one-weekend thing or a one-month thing? In her mind, she was just with Damon for fun. It shouldn't be something serious. Because it wasn't possible. Then why did going out with Elijah feel wrong when she didn't even consider whatever she had with Damon a "relationship".

"Honey?" he snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I am just not feeling like dating right now. I want to focus on my studies. Nick rarely allows me out of Mystic Falls and I want to enjoy my college experience," Elena tried to make an excuse.

"Oh…I understand," Elijah breathed.

"Please don't be mad at me…We can still be friends."

"If I had a quarter for every time a woman said that to me I would have an infinite amount of quarters," Elijah said with a soft smile. Elena let out a chuckle. "Now you're making me feel bad."

"Just trying the sympathy card…anything can work!" he replied. "I am still going to the wedding with you as your plus one, right?" he added. Elena bit her lip. She would be a total bitch if she said no after he had been so understanding with her.

"Of course."

He beamed looking down. "I should go. I have a meeting with the council today. You have my number you can call me anytime you need me," he said getting up.

"Thank you for being so understanding," Elena said earnestly. "And I am really sorry," she added.

"It's ok," he replied. "I will see you around."

"Yeah."

"Take care, Honey," Elijah said as he walked out of the living room.

Elena sighed and dropped onto the couch once she heard his car drive away after a minute.

"Wow! The guy drives three hours to take you out for dinner and you turned him down in like what? three minutes," Jenna said. "Regina George Alert!" she added as she jumped on the couch.

"You were the one who told me not to play with two very old and dangerous vampires. One of them had to go," Elena replied.

"Wait! Wait a fucking second. You chose the Ripper over the Smith?" Jenna nearly shouted.

"I am not choosing anyone," Elena lied through her teeth.

"Did you break up with the Ripper Vampire?"

"What do you mean breakup? I am not with him. He is just an annoying _prick_ who follows me around and harasses me," Elena said. She felt bad for talking about Damon like that. But she could not explain her unconventional relationship with the vampire who was crazy about her.

Jenna had met the Ripper vampire chief several times. As her "sister's" family's enemy she obviously despised him. He was dangerous and he screamed trouble. But he had not been rude to her even once. He addressed her with great respect. He had told her in their previous meeting that he really liked Elena and he wanted something big with her. He had spoken so earnestly that Jenna felt bad for a second for playing him like that. She felt even worse now knowing that Elena didn't like him. But this was for the best.

"Did he contact you again?" Jenna asked. The last time she heard about him was when he showed up at her doorstep and requested to meet Elena.

"No," Elena lied.

"Huh…Maybe he is over you"

Elena shrugged as if she didn't care.

"It's for the better," Jenna mumbled. "He is insanely hot though."

"Huh. He is an ass," Elena replied dropping her head in Jenna's lap.

..

..

"She flat out shot me down. I can't do anything. The only way I can get her now is if I force my blood down her throat and perform the mating bond," Elijah briefed Klaus.

Klaus paced around the room. Everything was falling apart. Ever since the Rippers clan came along his rule over the vampire council was over. He tried to finish them. He tried to bribe the werewolves to join his side but they despised him. He wouldn't blame them. He had nearly killed their race.

Rippers also had the alliance of the witches and warlocks. Centuries ago when witches tried to stop him, he had burned them all alive. Only a few witch clans were alive today. And they were rarely found. Except for the Bennett witches. But that clan would die before they allied with him. He had, after all, kidnapped their last chief and had forced her to perform a very special type of spell for him and then killed her afterwards.

Elena was his only key to power now. After Bennett clan joined the Rippers a half century ago, Klaus was sure they would all gang up on Originals and kill them all. They now had oak trees too. The only thing that kept them from attacking was Klaus's scheming and the fact that he had more than ten vampires that were over eight hundred years old. They were still stronger, physically.

But, he could not depend on their "fear of him" throughout his life. He wanted to rule. He wanted to be a king. He hated following council rules. And he still had to take revenge from that smuck Alaric for killing his mother.

He had found a solution to Rippers. That plan needed a hell of a lot of time to take place.

"So! What are you waiting for? You have my permission."

"I need a guarantee that Elena would feed me her blood too," Elijah demanded.

"She would."

"You would compel her?" Elijah asked.

"I don't need to compel her. She will do as I say, no questions asked," Klaus said smugly. His siblings were bound to follow him. He had made sure of that.

"Klaus! I know that your siblings obey you religiously but that's not a guarantee."

"Elijah! Don't poke your nose into things that your mind is incapable of understanding," Klaus replied.

"But you will need to be very careful. My siblings are very protective of each other. Kol and Rebekah would not tolerate it if you go after Honey yourself. Send someone else. Tell him to bring her here. You will drink from her first, then she will have to drink your blood," he added.

"The bond would be complete and she will be my mate," Elijah answered.

"And I have told you that this idea is very controversial. We have to keep it a secret until I tell you otherwise. Under no circumstance should I get involved in this. Otherwise, the council and all the other vampires will come to war against us. We can't take them all. We will need to be very secretive," Klaus whispered.

"NICK! You thousand-year-old creep! How dare you stain my mugs again. How many times do I have to tell you to use the other set?" Caroline shouted from down the hall.

"LOVE! I AM IN A MEETING RIGHT NOW" Klaus shouted back.

"I DON'T CARE, NICK. I JUST DON'T CARE! YOU COME DOWN NOW AND CLEAN THIS UP," Caroline shouted.

Klaus sighed and pressed his lips. "Okay, Love. Give me five minutes," he said.

"Send someone today. Kidnap her. But make sure she doesn't get hurt much, just snap her neck. And don't send anyone from the clan. Hire a vampire from outside," Klaus muttered instructions before he vamp sped to where his wife called him.

..

..

Elena rushed from the library to the main campus. She couldn't use her vampire speed because of all the humans around. She had a major assignment due. A gust of wind passed. She looked back. She felt as if a vampire just passed by her side. Humans wouldn't have noticed that. Their eyesight was incapable of registering such fast movements but she did. She looked around. Her eyes scanning her surroundings.

She couldn't find anyone. Her eyes narrowed. "Maybe, I am just imagining things," she muttered. "Just being paranoid cause all the stuff that has happened lately," she thought. Ignoring the watchful eyes that had been looking at her, she paced to her campus.

Elena looked back once again as she entered Jenna's house. She still had her dorm but she preferred staying with Jenna more. She could easily feed there on her blood bags without getting caught. Jenna had always been more like her best friends than her aunt. She used to spend summer vacations with Jenna back when she was human. Jenna, Jeremy, and John were the only human relatives she had from her mother's side. John died a couple of years ago because of a heart attack. It was just Jenna and Jeremy now.

As she walked toward the house, she stopped, swinging around, certain that footsteps right behind her were closing in. She felt sweat pouring from her forehead. She was sure of it. Someone was indeed following her. She'd been having this feeling for the last two days.

"Who is there?" she demanded.

Her eyes searched for her stalker as she focused her ears on any type of sounds. She couldn't hear anyone breathing. She shrugged and entered her house.

"Jenna!" she called as she entered the living room.

"In here," Jenna answered from the kitchen. "I will be out in a minute," she added.

"Okay," Elena answered, spinning around. On a small table next to the full-length mirror mounted on the back wall of the room, a fresh bouquet of roses awaited her. Her brow was contracted into a frown, and she bent the table while looking fixedly at the flowers. A card on the flowers told her exactly who the flowers were from. Her so-called boyfriend.

Things started to click. He must have been stalking her. Again. It was just last night; he insisted he wanted to see her. She had strictly told him that she was busy and in no way had time for him until the weekend. He wasn't too happy but he agreed as long as she was going home with him on Friday. She had been surprised by how easily she won the argument and was even starting to appreciate his consideration for her decisions. But that was all down the drain now. He had stepped over the line by following her around all day. This was unacceptable.

She took out her phone and called him. He picked up on the second ring.

"I am assuming you got your flowers," he said cockily.

"What the hell? Damon," she hissed.

"What? I thought you liked white roses," he said slightly puzzled.

"I told you not to come here."

"Yeah, you did."

"I told you that I am busy right? I already told you that I'll spend the weekend with you then. Why do you need to act like a sick psychopath and stalk me all day? What do you want to prove? I need to know what's going through that sick head of yours?" she spat, angrily.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! What did I do?" he seemed appalled by her behavior.

"As if it wasn't enough that you're a sick, psycho, control freak. Now you're a creepy stalker too?" Elena continued.

"Hey! Hey! I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do anything," he tried to explain.

"You know what? I don't think you and I are a good idea. I can't be with someone who will have this level of obsession with me. I have been clear and assertive of boundaries before-"

"Elena! I didn't do anything" he protested. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I am talking about!"

"I told you that I didn't appreciate being followed. It's inconvenient, it's stupid, and it also happens to be against the law. You have been stalking me for the last two days," Elena spat.

"Baby vamp! I haven't left Mystic Falls even once since Monday. I told you just yesterday that I am busy with the new addition of vampires in our clan," He answered.

"You're lying."

"Fine. Don't believe me! Talk to Bonnie. She will tell you where I have been," he said in a frustrated tone. She could hear a muffled argument before Bonnie greeted her. "Hi, Elena!"

"He has been here this whole time," she confirmed.

"See! I told you so," Damon added.

"Uh…I guess I'm…"

"Someone has been stalking you?" Damon asked, concerned.

"It's nothing. Maybe, I am just paranoid," she dismissed the matter.

"This is serious Elena. The person could be some sort of sociopath," she heard him growl.

"I am DATING a sociopath," she replied.

"I would never dream of hurting you, but we don't know what this person is capable of," he replied in a very serious tone.

"Damon! Stop overreacting. I am not even sure if I am being followed. And even If I am, I am still a vampire and I think I can manage a petty human sociopath," Elena said as she dropped on the couch. Jenna came out of the kitchen with Elena's blood bag. She poured Elena some blood into a cup and handed it to her.

"What if it isn't a human? What if it's a hunter or worse, a vampire? You can't defend yourself against them. Because frankly speaking, your combat moves suck. I can't risk it. I am coming over as soon as possible," he said in a tone full of determination. The tone he used whenever he made a decision. She knew there was no going back now.

"Stop treating me like some damsel in distress. I don't need your help. I am perfectly capable of defending myself."

"Allow me to be the judge of that!"

"I don't have time for this. I don't want to argue with you," Elena hissed ready to hang up.

"Which is weird…because our relationship is based on arguing nonstop" he replied. "Do me a favor and stay at your mum's place. If your stalker is a vampire. He wouldn't be able to get in without being invited." He added in a strict tone.

"I gotta go, Damon. I will talk to you later," she didn't wait for him to reply as she hung up.

"Jenna! I will be staying at my dorm tonight" she said as she finished her cup.

"You were talking about some stalker?" Jenna asked concerned.

"Nothing important," Elena lied. She stuffed her books in her bag. "I will see you in university," she said as she left.

If Damon was right and her stalker was indeed a vampire then she needed to get out of Jenna's house fast. She wasn't going to put Jenna in danger. That vampire could be stronger than her. She could call her brother but she just got her freedom. Her family would freak out again. She wasn't ready to give up her freedom so soon. Her dorm was safer. Her stalker wouldn't dream of approaching her with so many witnesses close by.

..

..

"Stef! I will be with Elena for a while. Someone is stalking her. I can't risk it. While I am gone, Bonnie's in charge. I want you to help her with the new vampires," he instructed as he drove to Elena's house. Fucking four-hour drive. Couldn't she choose a college closer?

Something was off. He could feel it. Thinking about her, he was anxious to see her and be with her. The idea that she was in any sort of danger scared him. She was so far the best thing that happened to him. His stomach dropped as if he had just been thrown down a roller coaster. The idea of losing her terrified him and the idea of her being even remotely in danger brought out an animalistic side of him. He would tear anyone apart who would touch her the wrong way.

"Damon!" Stefan's voice on the phone brought him back to reality.

"What?"

"I said when will you be back?"

"On the weekend. I am not leaving her alone until I find this guy and get rid of him," Damon replied.

"Okay. Do you want me to send someone to help you find that prick?" Stefan asked.

"I will handle it myself," Damon replied as he hung up.

Even though he was worried sick because of this stalker. It also gave him a great excuse to see her. He had been so grim and gloomy ever since he dropped her to college on Monday morning. Nothing looked appealing after she left. Not work, not home not even damn dinner. And it kept getting worse and worse. He felt a deep longing for her presence. He kept waiting, and as the seconds ticked by, he couldn't bear it anymore. It hurt him too much to not see her. And it was like this week was passing even slower.

Whenever she was around, everything just looked so much more beautiful. He never got annoyed by their banter. On the contrary, he enjoyed them. She had a wonderful mind. The way she managed to silence him with her quirky comebacks. The way she pretended to despise his smugness. The way she talked, the way she smiled, the way she blushed, the way she would cast down her eyes whenever she-Okay. "Stop right there" he warned himself.

He would probably ram his car into someone else's if he kept thinking about his doe-eyed vampire girlfriend. It was nearly twelve. He had been driving for hours. He was tired. He drove to Jenna's house. All the lights were off indicating that everyone was asleep.

He felt a bit awkward. This was not a very decent time to show up at someone's doorstep. Her mum would probably think he was a freak. –which he was but he still wanted everyone at her house to like him.

He parked the car in front of her house and hopped out of his car. He walked to the door, nervously. Hoping that Elena would open the door instead of Jenna, he rang the bell twice.

"Hold your horses…I'm coming," he could hear Jenna grumble. He cursed his luck. Now he would look stupid in front of her mother. The door opened about two minutes later, revealing a very angry Jenna.

Her eyes narrowed as she saw him.

"Umm…I wanted to see Elena," he said nervously which was so unlike him. But something about Jenna made him nervous as hell. She was after all the mother of the girl he was in love with.

"At this time?" Jenna grumbled, at this moment she didn't even care if he was nearly a century and a half-year-old vampire.

"I…I know it's not the right time but I really need to talk to her," he replied, timidly. _"Get a grip on yourself. She is just a human"_ he thought.

"Do you even know what time it is? I have to go to college tomorrow to teach those idiots who don't know a thing about basic chemistry. Unlike you vampires we humans do need a proper eight-hour sleep," Jenna spat.

"I see where she got her attitude from," he mumbled under his breath.

"Besides, she is not even here. She is staying in her dorm tonight," Jenna added, yawning.

"That self-destructive woman!" Damon said as he gritted his teeth. "I clearly told her to stay here tonight but she has to do everything the opposite of what I say…" he grumbled. He was tired, sleepy and paranoid about his girlfriend's security.

"I am sorry for disturbing you though…I really am sorry Jenna," he added, earnestly.

"Sure. Okay, Whatever," Jenna said.

"Umm...Goodnight," he said as he spun around. He heard the door slam. He mentally added a note to himself to send Jenna some flowers and an apology card later. Right now, he needed to see his Baby Vamp.

..

..

Elena clutched her pillow to her stomach as she turned on the bed. She woke to the sound of someone knocking on her door. And she'd been right in the middle of a good dream, too. She looked at the clock on her wall. It was nearly one. Prying her eyes open, she walked toward the door. "Who is it?" she asked as still standing behind the locked door.

"It's me."

That voice. She could recognize his voice anywhere. She actually liked that voice but right now at this moment, she found it downright annoying.

She opened the door.

"Really? You opened the door just like that! What if it was that stalker of yours?" he asked, annoyed.

"If my stalker is a human I think I could have handled that and if my stalker was a vampire I don't think he would bother knocking on the door," Elena answered, angrily.

"Aren't you gonna invite me in?" he asked, attempting to enter.

She blocked him. "Why are you here?"

"I was worried. I wanted to make sure you were okay," he replied.

"I am fine. Now go back."

"I drove four hours, I am tired." He added.

"Not my fault, I told you not to come here until Friday," she replied with her hands crossed on her chest with the bitchiest expression on her face. _Like mother, like daughter._ He thought.

"I am not going back until I have a little talk with the creep who has been stalking you," he replied with a huff.

"Do you even know what time it is?" she hissed.

"Can we do this tomorrow?" he said yawning as he tried to enter again. "I wanna sleep."

"Get a hotel room," she said.

"Really, Baby. I drove four hours just to see if you were okay. I am tired, sleepy and annoyed. Can you be a little less selfish and let me stay with you for the night?" he said rolling his eyes.

Now that she noticed, he did look exhausted and sleepy. She moved to the side and gestured for him to enter. "Don't make it a habit," she said as she closed the door.

He walked straight to her and took her in his arms and hugged her as if he would never let her go. He pulled her closer and buried his face in her hair. "I was very worried about you," he muttered. "I am not going to let anyone so much as look at you the wrong way," he added. She smiled at his words.

"Aha…Can we sleep now? I have an early class," she muttered, sleepily.

"I need to take a shower. You go ahead, I will be right there."

She was half asleep and half awake when she heard the bathroom door open. He hopped on the small bed and shifted to pull her closer to him. He hurriedly wrapped his arms, and the blanket, around her. Touch as gentle as a breeze, he nuzzled her neck enjoying the feel of her until they both fell asleep.

..

..

The annoying buzz of Elena's phone woke her up. She made a grab for her phone on the bedside table. Kol was calling her. She cancelled his call and texted him that she was in the shower. The vampire beside her was still very much asleep. She shifted facing him. His arms were still loosely curled around her.

She was a bit embarrassed by her behavior last night. He drove all the way from Mystic Falls just to check up on her and she had pretty much asked him to leave the second he showed up. He cared so much about her and she was always being a bitch to him. She felt guilty now.

She smiled slyly as she looked at him. He looked so innocent, precious and peaceful when he slept. She stroked his forehead and brushed his hair back off his face.

"This would have been so much better if we were naked," he said his eyes still closed.

She instantly smirked. "You have to ruin the moment."

"I am famous for ruining things," he said opening his eyes.

Her palm still rested on his cheek. He dipped his head and kissed her palm. She let out a giggle, cupping his face and leaning in to capture his lips in a chaste kiss.

"I missed you so much," His clear blue eyes shone with adoration so influential that her body went limp from the strong emotions his eyes held. She didn't quite like that. She missed him too. She wanted to tell him that but instead she pulled him into a kiss. Her hand moved along his cheek, finding his hair where her fingers fisted his black hair gently. She kissed him, moving her lips with his slowly. A little disappointed that she didn't say it back, he shrugged off the hurt and focused on the girl in his arms.

With a slow movement, he moved on top of her. His breath fanned warm against her mouth seconds before his lips connected with hers again. Leaning down, his lips trailed down her neck and sucked on a soft spot. The fragrance of her blood was maddening. He wanted to bite her again. He controlled his demon's urges and kissed another spot. Her hands traveled up and down his bare back, appreciating his assault on her neck.

She didn't realize he had managed to unbutton her nightgown until he slid it off her shoulders. He lifted up as she took it off and he tossed it aside. He gazed down at her before he hovered over her again, hurriedly.

"A little too excited, Aren't we?" she mocked.

"It's been four days. Can you blame me?" he said as his lips trailed from her neck to her earlobe. She moaned. He clawed at the bra and kissed the swell of each breast as she hooked her fingers into his hair. Something about him made her lose her mind. She just couldn't think straight. His hands kneaded the mounds as his lips trailed down to her flat belly to her core. Moaning his name deep in her throat she arched against him.

"Please…just…"she breathed.

He knew what she wanted. His gaze raked over her body hungrily. She arched against him and mewled. She tried to rub against him. He pinned her hips to the bed making it impossible for her to move. "What are you doing?" she whimpered.

"How does it feel to be the one desperate for attention for a change?" he asked, bitterly.

"What sort of twisted revenge is this?" she wailed. "Please…Please" she said as she tried to move.

With a devilish smirk, he bent his head; his mouth moved lower to her center and nuzzled the sensitive nerves hidden there. She hissed. He was in the mood for teasing her today. Probably taking revenge for not giving him enough time. Need flamed even more in her core. Wrapping her legs around him she finally felt his tongue laving all the way to her core. He continued devouring her until blinding colors exploded behind her eyes as she came crying his name. He looked proud when he hovered above her again.

He nuzzled her neck as she tried to even her harsh breaths. The sounds she was making and the smell of her sweat-dampened skin turned him on even more. He reclaimed her mouth harshly. He shuddered in need. "How can I want you so much?" he asked as his hands gripped her wrists and pinned them above her head.

"How did I live so long without you in my life?" he breathed. She searched his gaze. She didn't understand what he meant.

He was this close to confessing his love for her. He wanted to tell her exactly what she meant to him. Just then she yanked her wrists away and pulled his face close, kissing him with zeal. She spread her legs, settling him in between them. His erection pressing against her thigh. He groaned when he touched her moist core.

His gaze locked with hers as his finger trailed up and down her folds. "You're so wet, so ready," he gasped.

"For you," she whispered in his ear.

"For me," he breathed sighing.

Trembling with need, his eyes chased hers until their gazes locked. They moaned in unison as he entered her, his fingers kneaded the now engorged nipples. He ground his hips against her pushing and pounding himself into her over and over until she shattered in his arms. She pulled him in for another kiss that removed every thought except burying himself even deeper inside her. He finally came as he buried his face in her neck.

Elena rushed from the washroom freshly showered. She looked at the watch and cursed. She was late for class. She was surprised to see her clothes set on bed, ready for her to wear. She hurriedly got dressed.

Just then the door opened and he entered beaming. "Freshly baked bread and your favorite blueberry juice," he said as he zoomed to her study table and set up her breakfast for her.

"That's very sweet but I am already late."

"It will only take five minutes," he said. She groaned but sat on the chair like a spoiled brat and helped herself. She couldn't help but moan as she ate. "Thank you," she said as she threw her arms around him after she was done.

"Anything for you," he murmured circling his arms around her waist but she pulled away fast. "You will be staying here?" she asked.

"Of course! I told you I'm not leaving you until I catch that fuckin-" he trailed off. "Besides it's Friday. You're going home with me for the weekend. Right?" he asked.

She bit her lower lip.

"You promised," he reminded her.

She nodded. "Okay. I will be back by one." She informed him as she picked up her bag and made her way out of the room. He followed.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Dropping you off at the campus."

"Damon!"

"It's for my own peace of mind," he pleaded.

She sighed in frustration. And walked out of the building with him following her. "I was thinking. We should enroll you in our combat classes. Enzo would teach you moves that would make you capable of tackling even Originals." Damon suggested taking her books from her hand as they walked.

Elena nearly hissed. "Would it make me strong enough to stake you?" she asked sweetly.

He chuckled. "You weren't thinking that in the morning when I was fucking the daylights out of you"

She hissed. "Would you stop being so vulgar?" she asked.

"Would you stop threatening to stake me every three seconds?" he replied.

"Why? Are you scared that I will actually make good on my threats?" she asked, smirking.

"Haha. I am pro women, I will not say that your fight moves suck and you punch like a girl," he chimed back. "And I will be more scared of a chipmunk then I'll ever be scared of you."

She narrowed her eyes. "No sex for a week."

"You evil wretched woman," he replied.

"Say it."

"Fine! I am scared of you," he admitted in a flat tone. Elena chuckled. "Who is the strong vampire now?" she chimed. She smiled and it almost brought him to his knees. In her smugness, she didn't watch the road and stumbled as her foot caught the edge of a stone on the uneven path, but he caught her and held her firmly by her arms. "I am," he replied smirking.

She rolled her eyes, standing straight. She took her books from him. The next five minutes passed silently as they walked. She sneaked a look at him through the soft swaying curtain of her hair and caught him looking at her with a little smile on his lips.

"Stop staring," she said, pretending to be annoyed.

"You were staring back," he said, with a smirk.

"Seriously, why do I even put up with your shit?" she huffed.

"Because I can manage to put up with YOURS!" he replied.

They reached the campus and both caught themselves wishing that walk had been longer. "This is it" she spun around. "You won't be free till one?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I will see you later," she replied spinning around.

Coming up behind her, he grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him, he cupped her face and kissed her as if he had every right to do so. And in a way, he did. He smiled at her warmly. "Have a great day"

She smiled back. "I gotta go. I am already ten minutes late." She said. He let go of her face. Her hips swayed as she walked away while he enjoyed the view of her shapely legs.

..

..

Once Elena went off to her classes, Damon had no idea what to do. First, he called Bonnie to check up on his town. Then he had a nice brunch and he enjoyed a day off his duties as he waited for Elena's classes to be over.

When he was getting bored out of his mind, he saw Jenna across the road, having brunch with some of her friends. He briefly remembered disturbing Jenna last night by showing up at her house at midnight. He needed to apologize. After buying a bouquet of flowers he marched up to her.

"Hey! Jenna!" he greeted.

Her eyes darted to him and widened. "Damon!"

"Please join us," she said, motioning toward an empty seat.

"This is…This is my Elena's boyfriend, Damon Salvatore" Jenna introduced him nervously. Of course, her friends knew Elena was her niece.

"I just wanted to apologize for…last night. I know I showed up very late and but it was really important and there was so much traffic on the highway from Mystic F-"

"He is from Mystic Falls…Isn't that where your sister-" one of Jenna's friends interrupted.

"-use to live. Yes!" Jenna completed. "It's completely fine. In fact, I should be the one apologizing because I was rather rude," she added looking at him.

"I completely understand. It is normal to be irritable when someone wakes you up unexpectedly. I would be angry too if someone woke me up in the middle of the night," he added, earnestly.

"He is so understanding," one of Jenna's friends complimented.

"And handsome too. Honey is lucky" another friend added.

Jenna smiled nervously. "Oh and these flowers are for you," he added giving her the bouquet. Jenna was a hard woman to please, but even she liked her niece's boyfriend. He did not look anything like she heard about so many years ago. She was rather in awe and very impressed by the consideration of her niece's boyfriend. He would be perfect for her if only he wasn't a Ripper. She knew by the look in his eyes that he really adored Elena. Maybe, he was even in love with her.

"Thank you! You must come for dinner sometime," she said, kindly.

"I would like to take you up on your invitation next week. Elena and I are going to my town to spend the weekend," he said.

"Oh! Umm…Elena agreed to that?"

"Yes. She enjoyed our weekend last time," he replied.

So that's why Elena had not replied to her messages, last Saturday. And Jenna thought she might be busy with her friends. She was going to have a little talk with Elena about this. The girl was clearly out of her mind staying with her family's worst enemy.

"I hope it's not a problem," he added, concerned. Jenna shook her head.

"Is it your day off ?" he asked to keep the conversation going. He knew it was petty but he wanted everyone in Elena's family to like him. He had already met her brother and Jenna. He still had to meet her cousin brother since he was so important to Elena. He hoped he too would be soon on the list of people she loved.

"No! We are just taking a break. I have like three classes lined up. I probably won't be free till seven."

He talked to them and excused himself after a while. He went back to her dorm and packed her bags. He checked her fridge for a blood bag. He wanted her to feed as soon as she was back. She needed lots of blood in her system. The girl was already feeding from stale blood bags. These blood bags weren't providing her what fresh blood did. It was just enough to keep her alive and functioning.

He frowned as he found her fridge empty. He mentally noted to buy fresh stock on his way back to Mystic Falls. She would need something to keep her going.

His phone chimed and he smiled when he saw who the text was from.

 **"Damon! I might run a little late. I have to meet mum at her place-Baby Vamp** "

His brows furrowed. But as far as he remembered didn't Jenna say that she wasn't going to be free till seven. Something was off. He grabbed his keys and stormed out.

..

..

Elena opened the door using her keys. "Jenna!" she called. "What did you need me for?" she added as she walked to the living room. The house seemed silent. "Jenna," she called again.

A gust of wind passed. She instantly felt alarmed. "Je…Jenna," she called again. She took her attack stance, backing up toward the door. She felt as if someone was standing behind her but when she turned around, there was nobody!

She took a step back. She felt warm breath on her neck. Clenching her knuckles she launched a fist as she spun around, the person was already ready he held her wrist and threw her on the table. She crashed on the glass table. She pressed her palms down the floor, the shards of glass pinching her skin. When she looked up the person had disappeared.

Damon was right, the person was definitely a vampire. And by the looks of it stronger too. She stood up on her feet. "You are making a big mistake. You don't have any idea who I am," she warned. She tightly held a lamp in her hand. She felt a strong grasp on her hand. She threw the lamp on her attacker and vamp sped upstairs, gasping.

She couldn't fight him, he was definitely older. She threw open the closet and jumped inside. She held her breath. She was a vampire after all; she could stay without breathing longer than humans. She heard the footsteps approaching.

"Silly girl! Haven't you watched any movies? This is the first place all victims hide," The man said as he threw open the closet doors. Elena kicked him with full force and tried to run downstairs. The man held her foot. She kicked him on his face making him howl and zoomed to the nearby bedroom. She had no idea who the man was and what he wanted from her.

She could hear him zoom into the room. "Mikelson! There is no way out. Get out here and spare me the trouble of snapping your neck."

So, he knew her family. He must be one of Klaus's enemies. He had a long list of enemies. She bit her lip and cowered hiding behind the dresser. "Where is the girl?" another person asked.

"Don't know. The bitch was here two minutes ago." The first one answered.

Oh, fuck! There were two of them. "Hurry up! He is already pretty mad at us for delaying too long."

"It's not my fault. The girl is always surrounded by her pesky friends," the first one answered peering under the bed.

Adrenaline and fear raced through her body. They were without any doubt her brother's enemies. They had some hidden agenda with her. Or maybe, they just wanted to kill her. She felt tears of worry and fear in her eyes, but she did not cry out. Her face contorted in the start of a sob but she stifled it. At this very second, the only person that she knew who could save her had no idea how much she needed his help right now. "Damon! Where are you?" she whispered.

..

..

When he called Jenna she told him she was in class. That's when Damon knew his girlfriend was in danger. He felt a strange raw fear. It mortified him. He tried calling her but she wasn't answering. He drove like a maniac to Jenna's house. He hopped out of the car and kicked the car door closed as he zoomed to the front door.

He listened to any sound coming from inside. He had to think carefully before he went inside. Not that he was afraid, he would get hurt, he didn't even care. He feared for her life. He could hear the voices of two men from inside. He couldn't hear her though. Was she hurt? Was she okay? This brought out a fear in him that he rarely felt in his life. The fear of the situation had the old and stoic vampire scared. If something happened to the girl, he knew he wouldn't be able to live. Anger coursed through his veins. How dare they try to snatch the one good thing in his life?

His eyes scanned the house to find a way to enter without getting detected. He chose a window on the second floor. With all his force, he climbed slightly on the pipe and jumped inside the window. That's when he heard a scream.

..

..

Elena knew she couldn't hide forever. She had to think quickly. The first vampire was approaching her hiding place. She scanned the room. If she could reach the wooden chair, she would break it and stake one if not two vampires. She tried to vamp speed to the chair. She managed to reach it and break it before one of the vampires caught her and threw her across the room.

"Barely a five year old and she is trying to fight us," one of the vampires laughed at her.

She vamped out and snarled at him. "Don't you fucking flash your fangs at me," the other one said as he kicked her. She let out a scream as she fell on the glass table. She reached out for the wooden chair leg and plunged it into his stomach. The vampire howled in pain and fell. His partner screamed and took out the stake. "How dare you? Bitch!" the vampire said as he plunged the wood in her hand. She shouted in agony as her hand burned as if someone had set her on fire.

He grabbed a fist full of her hair and threw her to the first vampire. Elena was always a fighter. She never gave up easily. If she was going down she wasn't going down without at least harming the other vampire, she threw him toward the wall.

"Oh! Now you have done it," The vampire said as he launched himself at her.

She didn't even try to fight back as he tossed her on the wall. "Snap her neck," the other vampire said. The first vampire looked at her as he broke the wooden chair and snapped it, picking up a wooden stake. "Try anything and you will be dead before you know it," he warned her as he drew closer to her.

Tears streamed down her face. She cowered into the wall. Just then a gust of wind passed through them toward the other vampire who had just told the first vampire to snap her neck. Elena's eyes darted to the person who was holding the attacker vampire by the neck.

"Get away from my girl," Damon snarled at the first vampire as his fangs elongated.

"Let my brother go," The vampire demanded. "Or I stake her," he added.

"You do that and I will tear you into pieces and scatter it around the country," Damon threatened.

The vampire yanked her to him and held the stake over her heart. "Let my brother go," he snarled.

Damon's eyes darted to the doe-eyed vampire locked tightly in her attacker's arms looking so scared, like a frightened child. His eyes traveled to the stake hovering over the thing that he cherished the most. Her heart. One tug and she would be gone forever. He had never felt so scared in his life. Scared wasn't the word. Terrified was better. His legs felt like rubber again, his hand shook.

He let go of the vampire in his hand and threw him toward the vampire holding the reason for his existence.

"Give him a stake," The vampire holding Elena ordered his brother. The other vampire threw a stake at Damon. "Stake yourself," he ordered.

"What? No!" Elena gasped.

He didn't look perplexed at all. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded. "Someone is making you do this. Right? Do you know who I am? I am the chief of Ripper Clan. I am sure you have heard of me. You know my power as well. Let the girl go and I will give you double the amount you are being paid" he tempted.

"Ripper chief?" the first vampire looked perplexed. He looked at Elena. "You have been naughty. Haven't you Honey? He isn't going to like this when he finds out about this," he said smugly.

"Let her go, please," Damon pleaded. "And I'll give you anything you demand."

"Fine, I will let her go if you stake yourself" the vampire said with an evil smirk.

"I will do it," he answered, immediately.

"Damon! No," Elena choked out.

"Go on, do it. I promise I will let her go," the vampire said.

Seeing him distracted, she squirmed out of his arms and kicked him. Damon launched on them to get her out of their reach. A chance was what he needed. He had figured out the vampires were younger. He could easily take them. The second vampire plunged the wooden stake into his back. He screamed in agony as he dropped on the floor. Elena was at his side in an instant.

"Oh! No! No! No!" she cried as she took out the wooden stake before it could kill him. The first vampire yanked her by her wrist. Damon stood up immediately he felt a dreadful pain in the back, and shoulder accompanied by difficulty in breathing. He plunged the wooden stake that was on his side into the first vampire's chest. The vampire shouted in agony as his skin became gray.

"You…you killed…you killed my brother," the second vampire looked unhinged as his brother's eyes closed. "I…will... I will kill her."

In a blink of an eye, he vamp sped to Elena and thrust the stake in his hand into her chest.

"Noo!" Damon's eyes widened. Something in him snapped. He felt like his world fell apart. He zoomed to her side. Damon glared at the man, vamping out, hatred flaming from his crazed eyes. He launched on the vampire and threw him on the glass table. He picked up a piece of wood from the floor and plunged it, full force into the vampire that was begging him to let him go. He started graying and his heart stopped.

He snapped out of the maddening anger and zoomed to Elena. He plucked the stake out. She was choking hard. The stake had missed her heart by an inch. He had almost…almost lost her. He shivered at the thought. His whole being shook at the thought.

He picked her up and sped downstairs. Placing her on the couch he sped to the fridge and pulled out two bags of blood. He vamp sped to her and tore open the bag. He led the bag to her lips. She instantly started to drink. He pulled her closer to him, running his fingers through her tangled hair as she drank. Once she finished the first bag, he offered her another. She refused.

"You need blood to recover, Baby. Please…for me" he begged. She attached her lips to the bag and started sucking the cold blood.

While he looked at her gushing wounds to check if she was getting healed properly. Her blood was maddening him. But he controlled himself. She had just been through being attacked by two crazy vampires who wanted to kill her. She didn't need to deal with a crazy vampire who wanted to claim her. His instincts were on overdrive. Once she was done he pulled her into a tight embrace. Tears formed in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him.

"They were gonna kill me," she said in between sobs.

"Over my dead pile of ash," he breathed pulling her even closer before kissing the top of her head.

"I don't even know them."

"Don't worry! I will find out who they were," he replied pulling her even closer. He couldn't get enough of her. He could still feel adrenaline course through his veins. He almost lost her. "and they hurt you-" she said before she broke into deeper sobs.

"Hey! Hey! I am fine…Look at me. All healed up," he said pulling away slightly to show her his healed wounds. "Thank you for saving me again," she murmured as she hid her face in his chest. He circled his arms around her pulling her closer and trying to hug her tears away.

"I will always be there for you," he promised.

"I don't know who they were. I don't know what they wanted with me. I'm scared, Damon," she whispered.

"Hey! Hey! Look at me. We'll be fine. You are my life and I won't let anything happen to you. I will keep you safe, Hell will freeze over before I let anything harm you," he murmured softly.

Damon needed to get rid of the corpses too before Jenna showed up. But, right now, his girl needed him to comfort her. He felt a tremendous amount of tenderness and deep love for her. He dipped his head in her hair and purred at the feel of her.

Elena closed her eyes in his tight embrace. She believed him. She knew he would keep her safe. She felt so much better already. Wrapped up, in his arms, she felt something so strong for him. Not adoration. Not attraction. She felt love. She felt full of love for him, full of calm and deep love, and was happy as he stroked her hair and held her even closer against him.

..

..

 _**Thank you, Alta for this bet'd chapter._

 _Please do review! I would love to hear your thoughts on this!_

 _Love,_

 _May._


	13. Untold love confession

**Chapter 12: 'The untold love confessions'**

* * *

"Think about it, Baby Vamp," Damon said as he held the door open for her. "They needed to be invited in by the owner of the house…Jenna would definitely know them," he added as he offered her his hand. She placed her palm in his hand and he carefully pulled her out.

"Or maybe, they just tricked her into inviting them in," Elena suggested. He nodded, in deep thought. He had been awfully quiet the whole way back to Mystic Falls after cleaning up all the mess at Jenna's house and leaving it spotless like it was before.

He hooked her arm with his as they entered his house. "Oh! Thank God, you're fine," Bonnie sighed in relief as she saw them. Enzo was standing next to her. Stefan's tense stance loosened up a bit too.

"You told them?" Elena asked looking at him.

"I had to. We need to find who they were as soon as we can. They were there for a reason. We need to find out what they wanted with Elena." He said looking at his friends. She could feel anger and panic oozing off him. It was as if she could feel it firsthand. She touched his bicep. He relaxed at her touch. But he was still focused.

"Maybe it's the Originals. Everyone knows she is with you. Maybe, they only wanted her to get back at you," Enzo suggested.

Something clicked in his eyes. And she knew he had made up his own explanations in his mind. He looked at her. She watched him react immediately, the pained panic-stricken expression on his face, the way his fists clenched to and unclenched. The way his hold on her hand tightened.

"No! That's silly. Why would a clan like…like Originals want to harm me? I'm of no use to them."

"Yes but they know you're my weakness," Damon retorted.

"That's completely absurd logic. We haven't even been together for a week-"

"Month…It's been a month, Elena. I keep count," he insisted.

She continued. "NEVERTHELESS, Originals is a very old clan. If they wanted me dead-"

His snarl broke her off as if they very idea hurt him. "-if they wanted me dead they wouldn't have sent a decade old vampires. They have vampires as old as earth itself-"

He interrupted her again. "They don't need to send centuries old vampires after you. You are just a five year old vampire. Why would they bother an old vampire if they can get the job easily done by a young vampire? It's not like you could fight them off. And with the fight moves you have, only God knows how you managed to survive till now," he spat.

"Elena! He is making a valid point," Bonnie said.

"You're over reacting. God! Damon, why do you have to be such a drama queen?" Elena huffed as she made her way to the parlor. She heard multiple gasps and a growl.

"DRAMA QUEEN? Six hours ago I saw someone stake you and I wasn't able to do a thing. The fucking thing missed your heart by an inch. A fucking inch. I almost…almost lost you. So forgive me for reacting like that but a man tends to react like this when two unknown vampires show up randomly at his girlfriend's house and try to murder her," he raged.

She sighed. He was worried. A little too worried. She didn't like it. The look on his face reminded her awfully of her brothers when they were worried about their mates. They weren't in a blood bond. Then why was he already acting like her…she trailed off, she wasn't even going to go there. He was just a petty crush. Nothing more.

"Had I been a second late, God knows what they would have done to you. You don't understand! Do you? The seriousness of the situation. The mastermind behind this is still out there. I can't always be there to save you and that right there scares the shit outta me," he continued.

"Damon! I don't need saving all the time. I understand that you care about me and I really appreciate it but I lived 26 years before you came to my life and I managed just fine. Stop being so paranoid," Elena replied looking away.

He laughed a humorless laugh. "I don't want to hurt your feelings, Baby Vamp but you can't manage to survive one day with the fight skills that you showed me so far," he said, his eyes cold. Probably hurt because he felt like he needed to keep her safe all the time. Like protecting her was second to breathing. And she pretty much just told him that she didn't need his concern.

Eager to prove herself, she swung a punch but he caught her fist in midair without so much as an effort. His grip on her knuckle tightened. She bent at the impact of the little force he used. "See what I'm talking about. You're a disappointment to disappointment," he said with an amused smirk. He made sure his strength was in check. He would rather die than hurt her.

She pulled her fist away from his grip, glaring at him with blazing eyes while he smirked smugly. Too proud of his power.

"She can learn from us here. We can enroll her in our new born vampire's battle station classes," Enzo suggested. "I can teach her," he added.

Elena had to admit that she really did need to learn to properly defend herself. She couldn't always rely on Damon. He was right he wasn't always going to be there for her. And she loved to learn. Some small part of her mind wanted to see the Ripper's defense strategy too. It could come in handy someday. Her brother Nick hated Rippers but he always admired their skilled fighting capabilities.

"I don't mind that. I would love to learn this skill," she accepted, nodding. "But I want him to teach me. Maybe, I will get lucky and stake his smug ass," she added pointing at Damon.

"That's not-" Bonnie said.

"A very good idea," Enzo added.

"No! No! If she wants me to teach her how to properly fight. So be it. Who am I to deny anything my girl wants," Damon said, smirking. "But I am warning you," he added moving closer to her. "I won't go easy on you," he said as he circled his arms around her waist. "I will treat you exactly like I treat all my students," he added.

"I don't want you to go easy on me. I want to learn it properly. I don't want to depend on anyone, anymore. I prefer being the warrior over being the damsel in distress," she replied hooking her arms around his neck.

"That is exactly why we are a match made in heaven," he replied smiling.

"Sweet talk is not going to get you out of this, Baby." She replied smirking. "I am so going to kick your ass," she added.

"I am going to make love to your ass," he replied.

"Okay…seriously! Guys! Get a room," Stefan interrupted making a disgusted face. How did the two go off from fighting each other to talking about making love? They all wondered with surprise.

"If you survive after I am through with you," she replied narrowing her eyes.

"I don't think I will ever be through with YOU," he replied huskily, dropping his forehead on hers.

"Really? Guys! Right in front of us," Enzo interrupted but the couple looked like they couldn't even hear him. As they stared into each other's eyes everything else disappeared. When Damon pinned his girlfriend to the wall behind them that's when the two other vampires and the witch knew they had to leave, immediately.

"Oh, God," they could hear the annoyed and freaked out multiple shocked gasps as they left.

"And that's how you get rid of those annoying brats," he said as he dipped his head down into her neck. The sound of her giggles ringing in his ears.

..

..

While Elena was taking a shower he went down to talk to his brother. Stefan was waiting for him near the parlor and sipping from his wine glass. "These are the driving licenses and IDs I found in their wallets. Of course, they could be fake but this will give you a head start on your investigation." Damon said handing him an envelope.

"You aren't going to let this go easily. Are you?" Stefan asked, taking the envelope.

"Of course, I won't. They tried to kill my girlfriend. I know Elena is taking this easy but this is really serious. They had access to her house meaning that the owner of the house invited them in which also means that they talked to her mother. They could have killed Jenna too," he stopped.

"I have a long list of enemies. Any one of them could have sent those two idiots to harm her to get back at me. I am not taking chances. I need to find who they were and what they wanted from her. I can't sleep peacefully unless the person who is trying to harm her is gone for good," he finished.

"Maybe-Maybe it's not our enemy. Maybe it's one of her enemies. Maybe she crossed someone and now they want her dead. Damon, we hardly know the girl…" he trailed off when Damon glared at him.

"Elena says she doesn't know them. She told me she has no idea who they are and what they want from her. She is just as clueless as we are. And it can't possibly be hers because one, she hasn't killed anyone in her life, she can't hurt a fly and two, she has been around only five years. She doesn't know much about our world," he defended his girlfriend.

"And even if it is her enemy. We still need to track the dick down because her enemy is my enemy," he added.

"Fine! Whatever," Stefan answered huffing.

"Watch the tone Stefan. I really don't appreciate you disrespecting me," he warned.

"It's just…why are we wasting time on this girl? It's not like she-"

"I love her, that's why," he replied cutting him off.

"And what about her? Does she love you? Are you even getting something out of this wild goose chase? I don't see Elena making any effort. All I see is you chasing her around while she ignores your ass."

"Elena is taking her time to adjust to the idea of a relationship. She had it bad in her last relationship. She is being careful and I don't blame her. It's not easy to trust again." He replied, ignoring the small amount of hurt he felt by the blunt truth.

"I know that I seem like a dick right now but I'm just looking out for you after what happened the last time," Stefan replied.

"Elena is not like Katherine. There is nothing fake about her. She is ruthlessly blunt and honest. I trust her. And I know that you're just looking out for me but I'm not a child. I know what I am doing," he said. He heard Elena step out of the shower. "Get out of the house. Find somewhere else to stay. Get out. Get out," he said in a hushed tone and ushered his brother out.

..

..

After fighting over should they stay at home or go for dinner outside, finally Elena won and they were standing outside the Mystic Grill.

"This place is very important part of our relationship," Damon said as he held the door of the diner open for her.

"But I have never been here before," Elena said, puzzled.

"Exactly. This is the place where I was waiting for you on our first date and you stood me up and went on a date with Mr. Potato," he replied, playfully.

"Okay! I already apologized for that. Didn't I?" Elena replied embarrassed as he guided her to a table.

"And this is the table where I was waiting for you while you were enjoying your date with some other guy," he added, slightly bitterly.

"How many times do I have to apologize?" Elena replied rolling her eyes.

"You literally never did," he replied narrowing his eyes as he pulled the chair out for her. She sat down gracefully. He took his seat in a chair across from her, mentally cursing the table in between them again.

"Okay! I am sorry that I stood you up but you can't blame me, back then I thought you were an asshole," she said holding his hand. He laced his fingers with hers, looking at their hands.

"And now?" he asked.

"I still think you're an asshole," she replied giggling. He instinctively smiled, playing with her fingers.

"People only notice the part in me they are most interested in," he replied smugly.

"Vulgar."

"You started talking dirty to me," he replied.

"That's not…you know what forget it." She sighed.

"I won again," he replied smugly.

"You didn't win. I just don't want to waste my time arguing with a senseless arrogant bastard," she spat, suddenly furious.

"Yet you're here on a date with the senseless arrogant bastard," he chimed back.

"Now I remember why I stood you up when you asked me out on a date," she said with a sigh.

"Admit it, baby. You were bored out of your mind with Mr. Don't-know-how-to-have-fun-or-dance. I was the only bright point of your night," he replied arrogantly.

Elena rolled her eyes and looked away. "I still laugh when I remember the look on his face when he saw us kissing in the alley," he replied smugly. The girl his competitor stole from him, was in his arms by the end of the night and he was damn proud.

"Did you ever see him again?" he asked, curiously.

Elena looked at him nervously. She had met Elijah just this Monday when he asked her out. Should she tell Damon? She decided to tell him. She was already lying so much to him. Not like he knew Elijah anyway.

"As a matter of fact, I did. We…He came to my house this Monday to ask me out on a date," she replied sipping from her glass. He instantly stiffened. The anger flared in him as he tried not to show it to her. His face was quite pale and his eyes flashed for a brief second. "Interesting."

A muscle in his jaw twitched, but he kept his voice level even and flat. "And did you?" He asked trying his best to remain calm focusing his eyes on their laced fingers on the table.

"What do you think?" she asked, amused. He was never good at hiding emotions anyway. Like a child, he was so ruled by his emotions and impulse. She admired that about him.

He felt eaten alive with jealousy as he waited for her answer. Had she gone out with him? Had she talked to him like she was talking to him right now? Did the guy had the honor of making her laugh like he did? He was jealous in every poisoned fiber of his being even though he didn't try to show it. It was displayed on his face. He never liked to share.

"I didn't," she added. His eyes shot up to hers. "Okay," he nodded, trying not show how relieved and glad he was.

"Hmm…Poor guy. What did you tell him?" he said trying to hide the smug smile.

"That he is a nice guy but…" she broke off when he hissed. "I hate it when women say that. It's the ultimate rejection line," he interrupted, playful again. "It was sudden. I didn't have much time to prepare my _"you're rejected_ " speech," Elena retorted.

"I almost feel sorry for the guy. He is less fabulous, less interesting, lacks dancing and entertaining skills and now I stole his crush. His life sucks," he chimed. He was suddenly confident again. "And the poor guy got friend zoned too by a very beautiful girl. Tsk. Tsk. I wouldn't want to be him even if someone paid me a million dollars," he added.

"Friend zone- huh…that reminds me. Listen, Damon. You're a really nice guy-" she playfully teased him. His eyes widened and fake shock. "You wicked woman! Don't you dare," he playfully threatened her with fake anger, holding her wrist. The sound of her musical laughter filled the air and he smiled he loved to make her laugh. He loved how she laughed so openly and easily. She was beautiful when she laughed like that. If only he could tell her how much he loved her. He had lost his heart to her the night he saw her.

They talked about everything for the next two hours. They argued, they fought and made up immediately. It was like no one else existed when they were together. She insisted on walking back home. He had to leave his car outside the grill.

Holding hands, they walked slowly back to his house. "Stefan is very caring when it comes to people he loves. Being the hero. He loves that. Multiple times he almost got himself killed due to his hero complex," he told her about his only brother. It was evident from his tone how much he loved his brother. She listened to his stories. He talked a lot. He would jump from one story to another without completing the first one. It was like he wanted to tell her everything about him in this one night. He did get a limited time with her and he was going to make the most out of it.

..

..

Sitting on the clock tower where they first met, she leaned in on his shoulder as he told her about training sessions for young vampires. He looked up; above him the sky was filled with stars. Many more than he normally saw here.

He couldn't help but notice that they were shining more than usual. _It's probably because she is here._ He thought looking at her. Everything seemed more beautiful whenever she was around. And then suddenly he briefly remembered the unhinged vampire at Elena's house thrust a stake in her heart. He flinched as if he could feel physical pain at the very thought.

Elena had so far managed to keep his mind occupied and not think about events that happened earlier today. But now as the memories rushed back, he could feel as if someone ripped off the band-aid off the gushing wound and he could feel that pain again. The pain of almost losing her. He would go crazy if something happened to her. He would die alongside her if something happened to her. Suddenly panic rose in his chest. What if someone attacked them right now? What if like last time someone hurt her right in front of him?

"What?" Elena said, puzzled by his gaze on her face.

He mumbled something she didn't quite understand.

"Excuse me?" Elena said, perplexed by his sudden silence. Just a minute ago, he was yapping about how his clan was the best clan because he trained them so well.

"Let's go home," he said getting up, offering her his hand. She held it and got up.

Her eyes narrowed at his sudden silences. All thoughts escaped her mind when he scooped her up in his arms and jumped down the tower making her squeal in surprise. He landed on his feet without so much as a flinch. "Seriously! What the hell is wrong with you?" Elena growled.

"What?"

"Couldn't you use stairs like a normal person," she shouted at him as she jumped out of his arms and landed on her feet. "Yes, but this was more time saving and convenient," he replied shrugging.

Elena huffed loudly and stomped her foot before walking off with him following her, asking her what he did wrong this time.

..

..

Sensual was the only word he could use to describe his beautiful girlfriend as she came out of the washroom wearing his over-sized shirt that barely hid her smooth thighs that were clearly visible below the hem of the over-sized shirt and her legs, those smooth bare legs were a sight that mesmerized him. He could her see her from the dresser mirror. His back was to her as he looked out of the window.

Elena noticed that he had been really quiet. She tried to cheer him up throughout the day and at one point she was certain she had been successful too. "You have been really quiet. Whose murder are you planning in that evil head of yours?" Elena chimed playfully walking up to him.

"No one important," he replied with a smirk.

"You know I have to come realize that I like you more when you're talking. Silent you is so far the most creepiest version of you," she tried to cheer him up. He gave her a small smile, still tensed.

"Are you still upset because of-"

"Of course, I am. You almost got stabbed half a day ago. I just can't get it out of my mind. Everytime I close my eyes that scene just flashes before my eyes and It makes me want to bring them to life and tear them into pieces all over again," he hissed, his tone filled with passionate hatred.

"Hey! I am okay."

"No! You don't understand, Baby. I found you after one and half century of loneliness and complete apprehension. I can't explain. I literally feel like I'm fading, that if I don't find a way to keep you safe. I…It would kill me to lose you! I…" he hid his face in his hands as she stared at him, confused. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. _Just go for it_. He told himself. He was about open his mouth to tell her that he loved her when she threw her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. "And me to lose you," she murmured. Her confession nearly shook him. He pulled back to check any signs of humor on her face. It could be a cruel joke. Life was never fair to him anyway.

When he realized that her words were genuine, his mouth curved into a bright smile, exposing light dimples on either side. "You really mean that?" he asked. She nodded, blushing. He smiled, tenderly brushing her hair off her face.

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" he whispered as he stepped toward her. "Every half hour," she replied, smiling. "Did I ever tell you how you drive me crazy?" he added yanking her closer to him. "All the time," she said rolling her eyes. "Did I ever tell you how much I need you? How much I want to look at you all the time?" he caressed her cheek softly. She casts her eyes down. "Did I ever tell you how much I want to hold you all the time?" he leaned down to kiss a soft spot on her neck.

He ran his hands down her arms and entwined his fingers with hers. One of his hand slipped down to her waist. He picked her up, then carried her to the bed. The intimate silence between them was raising the fervor. They would fight all day but they had their tender moments too. He crawled on top of her, trailing kisses on her legs, her clothed belly, her breasts to her neck. She let out a satisfied sigh when he placed several kisses on her neck

He smiled staring deep into her beautiful eyes. "You don't know how much you mean to me. You don't know how much I care about you," he said as he nuzzled her temple. She let out a moan. "I almost died when I saw…" he almost choked.

"Hey! Hey! I am okay. It's over. We will be fine," she murmured, cupping his face. Just like that, every thought disappeared whenever he was around her. He dipped his head and kissed her palm.

He brushed her hair off her face and allowed his hand to linger on her cheek "Elena! You don't know how much I…" he wanted to tell her how much he loved her. He wanted to tell her, so much that it hurt. But he was scared to death she would turn him down. He was a coward. He wanted her to know how madly deeply and hopelessly he loved her and how hard he would strive to make her love him in return. He would do everything for her. He wanted to tell her things he never said, things he planned in his mind, to tell her during the nights he was alone but he couldn't, just' couldn't, bear to see rejection in her eyes, hear it in her voice.

He saw confusion in her eyes. "Damon? Are you okay?" she asked touching his cheek. "What is it?"

"Elena, I…"

"What?" she said.

"I think everything would be alright as long as I have you in my life," he said, cursing himself mentally for being such a coward. She beamed at him. She pulled him closer. His lips hovered above hers. His breath was fanning her cheek. He was so close. She couldn't take it anymore. She captured his lips into a warm kiss. She felt him shudder and his sharp intake of breath.

 _Oh God! I love you so much._ He thought as he kissed her back with fervor. He thanked his lucky stars that allowed him to make love to the woman he loved. Flipping them over, he laid her on top of him. Gently, oh so softly, he eased her shirt off her shoulders. His lips attached to the hollow of her throat. His mouth was hot and moist as he kissed her throat again and again. Flipping them over again, he pinned her to the bed, pulling back, he pulled his shirt off over his head. He bent down and took her in his arms, relishing the feel of her against him.

He kissed her neck and trailed down to her cleavage, burying his face in it and breathing her wonderful scent. "You're so beautiful, Baby," he breathed. He peeled off her underwear as he placed open mouth kisses on her chest. Elena melted in his touch, she gasped when he tore off her bra and threw the offending piece somewhere off the bed. He looked at her with blunt desire. She was all his. And one day she might even love him too. With that warm thought, he dipped in and captured her nipple in his mouth. He smirked smugly when she moaned loudly appreciating his sweet assault on her. He lavished both of her nipples with attention. His lips then traveled down to her wet hot core.

It was like everywhere he touched, it sizzled. It seemed so different than their passionate love making before. It was like he was making love to every part of her. His eyes shone with adoration as his lips traveled back to hers. He took her mouth in a hot open mouthed kiss. Something was definitely different. She could feel it. This wasn't just sex. It was much more than that. Needing to be in control, she flipped them. He let out a chuckle as she hovered over him. His eyes didn't even leave her for a second as her lips trailed down his chest. It was hard to keep his eyes open. Elena touched him with her hands and her mouth, moving down his body. He writhed underneath her as he enjoyed the feel of her lips. She crawled up his body, and placed numerous kisses on his cheeks, his eyes and his forehead. He let out a sigh of contentment.

Her naked breast brushed against him and he knew he had to have her now or he would die.

"I need you, Please. I need you now," he pleaded.

"Take me," she murmured.

"Oh, baby," he moaned as he flipped them again.

He entwined their fingers and held both her hands above her. His mouth connected with hers as he entered her, filling her and stretching her to the point of sweet torment. They let out a mutual moan. His lips brushed against hers as he moved inside her slowly. He tormented her with long slow strokes. He withdrew nearly all the way, then slowly buried himself deep inside her. It ignited a deep fire inside her. Her walls clenched around him, Damon groaned deep in his throat, he purred as she tightened even more. He tried to concentrate and maintain a control he was a flicker away from losing.

His pace quickened as he drew nearer to the edge. His kisses became more intense. Her soft cries became harsher. Heat built and built until they both exploded. He dropped on top of her, fully exhausted. She ran her fingers through his hair, panting harshly.

He rolled to a side and pulled her closer to him. Their legs tangled as she hid her face in his neck. Her light snores filled the room in a few minutes. He pulled back to look at her. She looked so peaceful and restful.

He smiled, and curling up against her, he shut his eyes. He was still worried but for now he would forget everything and just enjoy the feeling of having her in his arms.

..

..

She stared at Kol's text and hated herself even more. The man next to her in bed shifted and pulled her closer to him. Kol was asking her when she wanted him to pick her for the wedding. Her brother Nick was finally getting married. He was finally getting what he deserved after all the years of being alone.

How could she betray her family like this? She thought. She had been sleeping continuously with her enemy. Why couldn't she just control herself whenever he was around. Why couldn't she just tell him to leave her alone? She was aware that she was breaking tons of rules by just being here, let alone in his bed. And it didn't help that she was madly drawn to him.

He treated her like no one ever did. He fought with her. He made her laugh. He kept up with her mood swings. He treated her like she was his everything. She liked waking up next to him. She liked just talking with him. It was like whenever he was around, she couldn't see anything else. It wasn't just the romance, it was the arguments, it was their petty childish fights, it was his protectiveness and his blunt honesty which attracted her to him. He knew how to live life and he was teaching her that art. Countless times, they had stayed up all night just arguing and talking. He was the kind of man she wanted to spend her whole life with but she couldn't. It just wasn't meant to be.

"Hmm…you're awake," she heard his raspy voice.

She locked her phone and placed it on the side table. He snuggled up to her and buried his face in his hair. "Breakfast?" he asked. She turned around, facing him. He was beaming. His eyes shone with adoration and…and love. She ignored his eyes and looked down at his chest, nodding.

"You will need that. We have lots of training to do," he chimed, happily as he jumped off the bed. "I will go take a shower," she replied as she picked up his shirt from around the bed and wore it. He watched her intently with a smile as she became decent enough to get out of the bed. Somehow, she looked hesitant, he noticed. "Everything alright?" he asked, insecurity visible in his tone.

"Yes," she finally looked up, beaming at him. He instantly felt relieved. He bit his lower lip as she ran her fingers through her hair to remove the tangles. She walked toward the dresser and picked up the brush. As she worked it through her hair, she noticed his gaze on her reflection in the mirror. He looked confused and as if he wanted to say something.

Her hair fell perfectly on her shoulders and her chest. To Damon, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Especially now, with no makeup, disheveled hair and flushed cheeks. He could say it now. He could tell her just now. That he was very much in love with her.

"You gonna say it or are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" she asked, brushing her hair.

"Say what?" he breathed. Did she know? Was she in on the secret the whole time and he didn't know about it? Was he too obvious?

"The thing that you have been dying to blurt out? what is it?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. The struggle was visible on his face. He wanted to say something so bad but something was stopping him.

This was his one chance. He could tell her that he loved her madly, passionately, desperately and that he couldn't live without her. "Elena…I…" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper, making her shiver. He wanted to go through with it. But then the idea of rejection from her terrified him. It took him weeks to even make her like him.

"What?" she said spinning around facing him.

Yes, this was torture. What if she did love him back? That was a possibility, Right. But his pessimistic side won. _She will laugh at you. What the hell do you think you're doing?_ He was afraid to hope and then afraid of rejection. That fear kept him from telling her of his deep love. He could feel his own heart beat fast as it thundered against his ribs. Couldn't she just tell? Damn it! Why does he have to say it out loud? Couldn't she tell by the look on his face that he loved her oh so much?

She threw at him one look of sharp, cunning suspicion. "Damon?"

"I will go get breakfast," he said hurriedly as he zoomed down to the kitchen.

..

..

With her hair down and dressed in a sleeveless shirt, jeans and sneakers, she looked innocent and mesmerizing. _Is she trying to kill me?_ He thought. _Oh, Why? Why did she have to look so beautiful all the time?_

She jogged around the ground to warm up. Other vampires watched her curiously. It was the second time Damon brought her to the training ground. He was supposed to teach her to properly defend herself. It was a good thing. He would keep her safe at all cost but she still needed to know fighting tricks too.

Bonnie helped her to do a stretch exercise. Enzo was teaching the young vampires as his eyes darted back to his mate from time to time.

"Enough warm up! Ready, Baby vamp?" he asked Elena.

She nodded, marching to him. Elena watched as his face contorted with seriousness. No humor or playfulness. He was in his chief mode now. "Give me your best shot! Attack me!" he ordered her.

Clenching her fist, she zoomed at him and she swung her fist at him. He caught her fist in his hand without so much as an effort and sighed, bored. Frowning, She tried to scratch him with her other fist, but he caught her wrists, he twisted her around as his one hand tied her around her waist, pinning her to him as if they were dancing. His other hand went to her neck. "And, Boom! Neck snapped," he murmured his hand caressing her neck.

"You didn't even give me a chance to-"she shrieked. "The attacker isn't going to give you a chance," he said firmly. "You're moves are too predictable. Never attack an old vampire from the front. Your advantage is in your speed. Move around and confuse your attacker. Attack when he least expects it. Now try again."

She tried several times. It was really frustrating. She would try her best but somehow would always end up locked in his arms. What irritated her more was that he wasn't even using his strength.

"Don't attack first. Don't attack-" he instructed her when she launched again. She brought the steel stake close to his chest. He caught her wrist with ease, her grip on the stake loosened and it fell, gripping her by her waist, he pinned her to his chest and kicked the weapon before she reached it.

"Do you not listen to a word I say?" he snarled.

"I knew what I was doing if you give me one more minute I would have-" she hissed frustrated. "The attacker won't give you time to plan your move, Baby Vamp" he hissed back. "and you're weren't even aiming it at my heart. You were aiming it at my ribs. God! Elena you have such a terrible aim" he muttered.

"I aimed at your ribs because I was planning on hurting the attacker before I snap his neck," she explained her move.

"Oh My God, Baby Vamp! That would not hurt an aged vampire in any way. That would only make him angrier. Plunge this God damn thing in his heart. You aim for the heart. You aim for the kill," he instructed.

"Damon! Rick is here," Bonnie called him from a distance, he nodded. He looked at Elena and gave her the stake. "Aim for the heart," he said. "Practice it on Jules. Jules! Come here and help my girl out," he called a young vampire. "Go easy on her," he murmured in the new vampire's ear as he raced to where Alaric was standing.

"How is the training going?" Alaric asked with a hint of amusement his tone.

"She sucks," Damon said aware that Elena could hear him. He heard her soft snarl. He looked back. She was concentrating on proving herself to him. She aimed again at Jules' heart but the girl blocked Elena.

"If only I could stake him-" he could hear her mumble as she aimed again at Jules.

"With the moves that you have. You can only dream about that," he answered her from a distance.

"Asshole," Elena hissed.

"I'm not an asshole, I'm an arrogant bastard. There is a difference," he replied bluntly.

"I am going to murder you in your sleep," she mumbled.

"You mean right after we make love," he chimed back.

"Fuck you," she said gritting her teeth.

"I'm flattered by your interest but don't you think it's much too crowded over here," he replied leaving her dumbfounded. "I am up for taking the offer though," he added.

"Drop dead," she said, her cheeks flushed by the suggestion as she attacked Jules again but Jules blocked her.

He heard Rick laugh. "I just love it when she is angry," Damon murmured admiring her from a distance. He loved that glint in her eyes when she got pissed. Sometimes he deliberately annoyed her to get a rise out of her. That way her chest would heave, her lips would pucker in a pout and her cheeks would burn intensely. He just loved that.

"Did you tell her that you lo-"Rick didn't even complete the word when Damon shook his head. "No! But I will soon," he replied. "Did you find something about those attackers?" he asked.

"Stefan called last night. They aren't from here. They are from London. He is still out searching," Alaric said.

Just then Elena blocked Jules attack and pinned her to the ground. She hovered the stake over her heart but didn't plunge it inside even though she knew the steel stake won't harm Jules.

"I did it. I won this time. Did you see that?" she said beaming as she looked at Damon, smugly.

"Couldn't miss it… It was in slow motion" he replied in a bored tone, hiding the smile.

Her smile faltered at his lack of appreciation as she got off Jules. "You know acting like a dick won't make yours any bigger," she snarled.

"You have been making sexual references a lot. I can't help but think that you're hinting something," he said, winking.

She shook her head in utmost disbelief. "You're sleeping on the couch tonight," With that being said she marched back to Jules and started practicing. She had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes bulge out. He may have won the battle but she won the war.

..

..

"It was just a joke," he apologized for the umpteenth time today. She rolled her eyes and shifted on the bed facing away from him. She tried to focus on her book. She had to write a research paper. She tried to read the book ignoring his apologies.

"Baby Vamp! Baby Vamp!" he tried to make her look at him. "I promise I won't do it again," he pleaded.

She didn't budge and focused on reading. Very carefully, he leaned close and blew a kiss against her ear. He ran his hands beneath her hair and up the back of her neck, causing her body to shudder. All resolve broke and she found herself leaning into his touch. He slipped an arm around her waist, moved his mouth to her neck, to her jaw to her mouth again as his one hand snatched her book and kept it. "You did great today. You still need lots of practice. We will continue this next weekend," he said already planning.

"Actually I am going to be somewhere else next Friday," she murmured. He stiffened. "Where?"

"My…My cousin is getting married. I am going to Georgia this Wednesday and I probably won't be back before next Monday," she lied looking away, avoiding his eyes. Somehow she lost her ability to lie when he looked at her like that.

"Oh…Uh…Okay," he said biting his lip. He lowered his head onto her chest and listened to her heart racing frantically. He wasn't going to see her for a week. He didn't like the thought of that. He hasn't been to too many human weddings but didn't people take dates for this kind of event. Would she ask him to go with her? He wouldn't say no if she did. He loved spending time with her.

"I presume, Jenna will be going with you"

"They are her relatives too," Elena replied, smirking. "And Jeremy too?" he asked. "Obviously" she replied. "Will he be taking someone with him too?" he asked, trying to hint at her to ask him to go. "Maybe," she chimed. "And what about you?" he asked.

This was a hard step. She knew he wanted to go with her. He liked to show her off. He liked people to acknowledge that she was his. But she couldn't possibly take him with her to Nick's wedding.

"I already asked someone else months ago. I can't back out now. I am so sorry, Damon" she said hurriedly looking at his face.

Different emotions coursed through his face. Anger, hurt and then understanding. "I…I…I understand," he murmured looking down. No, he didn't. He didn't understand. Why can't she just cancel on whoever she was going out with? He thought. Then came the jealousy. The mad rage that someone else was going to be with her.

"Who are you going with?"

"Umm…El. He is my cousin's best friend" Elena said and watched his eyes darken. "We are going as just friends," she said running her fingers through his hair to keep him calm.

He closed his eyes and leaned in to her touch. "But you're mine, right?" he asked, pettily. He dipped his head, inhaling the scent from her cleavage with a long, slow pull, his chin in the valley of her breasts.

"Yes, all yours," she murmured.

"Then it's okay. I am secure enough in our relationship that you going to your cousin's wedding with your cousin's best friend and not me does not bother me." He murmured. She smiled. "but it still sucks" he added looking up pouting.

She let out a giggle. When she laughed like that he knew it was worth it. The torment as possessive jealousy ate him up inside, firing up his temper. When she wrapped her arms around he forgot everything. "I will go with you next time," he said more to himself than her.

The smile that she gave him didn't quite reach her eyes but she nodded. He crawled up her body and touched his lips gently to hers. He pulled back to look at her briefly before he attacked her mouth with the passion suddenly coursing through his veins. She yelped when she heard the fabric of her shirt tear open. He was impatient. Possessive fury coursing through his blood as he lavished her body with kisses. She knew she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

..

..

Time was passing agonizingly slowly. Elena realized she didn't like Mystic Falls at all. At least not the Originals side of Mystic Falls. She had been busy with wedding preparations. Everything needed to be lavish. She still had one day to go before she went back to Duke and she couldn't wait.

As soon as she was back, Isobel made fun of her hair and had her hair stylist change Elena's hair style. Then she was brought in front of her father Michel who asked her a lot of questions about her college. They held a dinner to celebrate Klaus's upcoming wedding. It was as boring as it usually was.

She felt like she would suffocate. Everyone expected her to act like a perfect little girl. She couldn't talk back. She couldn't fight back and she certainly couldn't exercise her own free will.

She went down to meet Nick and Caroline. Her best friend squealed when she saw her. They had gone through so many wedding preparations she hardly had time to talk to her boyfriend who was eagerly waiting for her to come back as soon as possible.

Being away from Damon had made her realize how much she liked being around him. He made her laugh like no one did. He argued with her over the smallest things. He made her feel so special as if she was the only girl he could see.

"Is the Ripper still chasing you around?" Caroline finally asked as Elena did her hair.

"Sort of."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Caroline asked. "Are you hiding something from me?" she asked.

"I…I spend weekends with him," Elena revealed. Caroline eyes widened. "Spill everything," she demanded.

Elena told her everything. Caroline was after all her best friend. Caroline gasped and gritted her teeth at appropriate times as Elena explained about how he hid her ring and demanded that she spend a weekend with him. She admitted that she gave in to his charm. She told Caroline how he saved her from two vampires who were there to kill her. She told her everything.

"You mean to tell me that not only are you continuously sleeping with Nick's worst enemy but you're in a relationship with him too…like a…like a genuine relationship," Caroline asked.

Elena nodded looking down.

"Have you lost your mind?" Caroline gasped. "Do you have any idea what that could get you in to?" she added.

"I know, but its like whenever he is around I can't think straight," Elena sighed. "And when he touches me that's when I lose all sense."

"You have to put a stop to this, Honey. It's for your own good. Otherwise, this will end in a very vicious war," Caroline said getting up, pacing around the room.

"I shouldn't have ever gone to their side. Now look what I have done?" she muttered. "Nick would kill me and Originals would kill me…and if they didn't then the Rippers would kill me."

"Hey! Hey! Stop panicking."

"Promise me you will end it with him before things gets worse? Please, Honey! Just do this one last thing for me."

"I…I will try," Elena murmured.

Just then she heard footsteps approaching. Caroline pulled back. "It's time," Liz said entering the room.

"You look so beautiful, Honey," Liz said her eyes filling with tears.

She beamed at her mother as she hugged her. "Let's go."

..

..

Damon had never felt so miserable in his life. It's almost been a week to the time he last saw Elena. Since then he'd been depressed, grouchy, his thoughts replaying their time together like a movie over and over again in his head.

He was very gloomy and he would snap at anyone who disturbed him. So everyone avoided him. His best friends tried to cheer him up but he very rudely asked them to mind their own business and leave him alone.

He took a deep breath to subdue the ache of her absence. He'd barely talked to her since that night. She was just so busy. In less than a week's time, he had grown used to her being around him as if she had always been there. And now that she wasn't, he was wretched without her.

Today was Sunday, the most sucky Sunday he had experienced throughout his life. His last two weekends had been so amazing that this one sucked so bad without her. He tried to distract himself. He went to the training ground and shouted at everyone if even the smallest thing went wrong. Everyone remained scared stiff as long as he was present and he could actually hear them sigh in relief when Bonnie suggested he take off for the day.

He didn't want to go back to the dark and empty house. He checked his phone for her calls or messages regularly but she didn't text him even once since yesterday. It was understandable. Today was the day of the wedding. She must be busy. She would be surrounded by her family and her loved ones. Why would she remember him? It's not like he meant something to her. She was just attracted to him. Nothing more than that.

After finally going back to his house, he didn't even bother to switch on the lights. He walked to the parlor and took a bottle of bourbon and went to his room. This was hell. He could smell her all around him. He didn't change the sheets since she left. He missed her laughing eyes and shining spirit, missed her smell and her touch. He missed her wit. He missed her laugh. He felt as if there was a void in his heart that only she could fill and make him complete once more.

He took a gulp from the bottle drowning his loneliness in alcohol. He wanted her so bad right now. Just a glance. What wouldn't he give for just a glance?

"Just one more day to go," he murmured to himself.

..

..

When Caroline appeared, a grin spread on Klaus's face from ear to ear. This was what he waited for so many years. Everything disappeared when he set his eyes on her. Caroline's father walked her up toward the chapel and gave her hand to Klaus.

Elena beamed, hiding her tears as she stood by her sister Rebekah.

For some reason, she felt sad and miserable as if something was missing. She couldn't pinpoint what? The look on her brother's face as he spoke his vows was ecstatic. He didn't look like a thousand-year-old at all. He looked like a twenty-five-year-old man who was fascinated by his soon to be wife.

"Today is a very special day. Long ago you were just a dream and a prayer. I still can't believe I get to have you. I know I would have died if I didn't. You're so beautiful it hurts. And It's not just your beauty. You're the love and the joy God offered to me. You're the dream that I can't believe came true and I can't Thank God enough " he murmured softly to Caroline. "From this day onwards, I will love and comfort you, hold you close, prize you above all others, and remain faithful to you for as long as I shall live" he added.

Caroline's eyes pooled with tears. She moved forward. She nearly tripped on her dress had Klaus not caught her. "Sorry. I am just so clumsy" she said. "It's okay" he murmured.

"Nick, When I was a little kid I use to think I was some sort of princess from another planet and that one day my prince from my planet will come and take me to our kingdom," she said with a teary smile.

"Huh…then go back to your planet you annoying drama queen," Elena heard Rebekah whisper and she nearly broke into a fit of giggles.

"Never in my life did I think this would all come true. I promise to love you as much as I love my credit card and not hold your poor fashion sense against you. I promise to be with you as long as you're the one who unloads the dishwasher. I will try not to kill you with my clumsiness and most of all I promise to always have your back no matter how many arguments we have. You're my world now. Nick! I promise to love you till death do us part" she vowed and Klaus nearly turned into a puddle of goo.

"Fifty bucks says she will get him killed before the end of this century," Kol said to Rebekah.

"I say half century," she replied.

"Twenty years," Elena chimed.

"Guys," Davina warned them.

"Do you Niklaus Mikelson take Caroline Forbes as your lawfully wedded wife?" The officiant asked.

"I do," Klaus said eagerly.

"And do you Miss Forbes take Niklaus Mikelson as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," she murmured.

"The rings."

Elena handed the ring to Caroline and Elijah mimicked her actions, handing the ring to Klaus. They slid on the rings on each other's fingers.

"May the wedding rings you exchanged today remind you always that you are surrounded by enduring love. By the power granted to me by the state, I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride." He announced.

"Finally," Klaus said as he leaned in to kiss his newly wedded bride.

..

..

"There is no way Honey could kill both of them. They were both thirty-year-old vampires" Klaus said to Elijah after receiving good wishes from the guests. "In fact, Honey can't kill even if she wanted too," he added.

"Believe it or not, those two vampires are dead. Their bodies were found by the city police," Elijah answered.

"It's not Honey. Someone else must have been there," Klaus said. "Kol?" Elijah asked.

"Maybe but he would have told me that someone attacked Honey. Kol is very protective of Honey and Rebekah" Klaus said pacing around and greeting one of Caroline's relatives. He looked back to see where his bride was. She was standing with a group of her old friends.

"We are planning to go on long honeymoon," Caroline bragged to her high school friends.

"Hmmm…It would be nice to finally have a Bimbo-Free Mystic Falls," Rebekah said with a wicked smile.

"Excuse my sister in law. She is mentally challenged." Caroline whispered to her friend, well aware that Rebekah can hear her. "My other sister in law is as sweet as honey," she added pointing to Elena.

"Caroline! I will dangle you by your ankle from this building if you don't take that back," Rebekah threatened with a bitter smile.

"Becky," Klaus' voice came from behind them. "Apologize," he ordered.

"But she…"

"It would make me really happy if you apologize to my bride and I will prefer if you keep her company without making comments about her. She is your queen and she should be respected as such," Klaus said softly.

"Oh, Nick," Caroline murmured kissing his cheek.

Rebekah looked down for a second. She looked up a bit confused. "I am sorry, Caroline. I shouldn't have said that," the words blurted out before she could control them.

"Good! Excuse me, Girls! Mr. Smith and I have pressing matters to discuss." He said as he and Elijah walked toward the open terrace of the hall.

"What was that?" Elijah asked.

"The thing with Miss Rebekah. It was like the words were just forced out of her."

"That is a little trick up my sleeve in case my siblings decide to rebel against me," Klaus said with a wicked smile.

"I don't understand," Elijah said.

"My late mother was a very powerful witch. My father and I are not converted. We were made by my mother's black magic. I turned all of my siblings myself –including Honey, especially Honey," he said.

Elijah gasped as he realized.

"They are all sired. You're their creator. So, they are all sired to you," Elijah realized. "They're bound to your will." he added.

"Indeed. I don't exercise my power on them much. I love them all and I want them to live a life of free will." Klaus said looking at his happy clan. The clan he made. The clan he swore to protect. The clan worthy to rule the world.

"But you know, desperate times call for desperate measures," he added looking at his youngest sister. He would give Elijah few more months to make Elena fall in love with him. He wanted his youngest sister to be happy too. But if she didn't then he didn't have a choice. He loved his sister madly but he had to think about the greater good.

..

..

Jenna was exhausted as she drove Elena to her dormitory. "Are you sure you don't want to stay at home with me?" she asked.

"No! I am good," Elena said.

"See you tomorrow after college," Jenna said.

Elena picked up her bags and went inside the building. She made her way to her room. She opened her door and nearly screamed when someone yanked her inside. Her mouth was instantly covered with someone's hot lips. She recognized his touch immediately.

She sighed in relief. "You scared me," once he pulled back.

He smiled at her with a big grin. "Damon!" she murmured his name like it was her favorite word. He pulled her close to him and embraced her, burying his face in her neck. "You're never leaving me again if I have anything to say about it," he said pressing her to him more. She felt wetness on her neck. "What? Hey, What happened?" she said as she tried to pull back.

"No! Don't pull back. Let me hold you for a while," he said as he held her tightly. "God! Elena! I missed you like crazy" he confessed as his grip on her tightened.

"I missed you too" she replied giggling.

"Please don't ever leave me like that again, or I will find a way to come get you," he said as he picked her up.

"It was just one week," Elena said smiling.

"One week? One week? It was 168 hours of plain torture. And you weren't even answering my calls."

"I was busy."

"I know but…but I missed you," he said. "You don't even know what you do to me, Elena. Being around you drive me nuts and not being around you drives me nuts," he explained. "I was so miserable. You don't know how much I.." anything he was about to say died in his mouth when she crashed her lips on his. She pushed him toward the bed and climbed on top of him.

It was frantic, it was crazy as she pulled his shirt over him. His eyes looked at her with utmost adoration as she took off her shirt. Elena's eyes darted to flowers and an envelope on her side table. "What's that?" she stopped.

"It's something for you. Read it tomorrow but right now I need you" he said huskily as he pulled her close into a hot kiss.

Elena had come back with the determination that she was going to break it off with him. But like every time as soon as she saw him she forgot everything. "One more night. I just need one more night" she lied to herself. "Keep lying to yourself Honey," she thought. _"You know exactly why you can't think straight when he is around. You know exactly why you were miserable the whole week. It's because you haven't seen him. It's because you didn't spend time with him. It's because you are in love. You are in love with your family's worst enemy. You're in love with a person who was made solely for the purpose of killing your family. You are in love with your enemy."_ Her mind warned her.

But she didn't care. At the moment nothing mattered. But him.

..

..

 _Beta Credits to Alta Beron. Thank you for your hard work. It's almost going to be a year of the story and also TVD. Delena will always stay in our hearts!_

 _If you're a rereader, do review! And if you're a new reader, I'll love to hear your thoughts uptil now._

 _I will update more beta'd chapters soon!_

 _Love,_

 _May._


	14. Blood Against Love

**Chapter 13: 'Blood vs love'**

* * *

"This is stupid," he muttered as he paced around the room. "Why is it so hard to say these seven simple words; Elena, I am in love with you," he muttered. "And who? Who the hell writes letters in this century?" he said as he tore open the letter he poured his soul in, the night before. Now the idea seemed so foolish. He thanked God she didn't read it. He had panicked and hid it before she woke up.

"It's no wonder she makes fun of my age." He said throwing the letter in the bin. He looked worn as he ran his fingers through his messy black hair. He stood in front of her dresser to practice once again.

This was a big deal for him. He had never told anyone that he loved them not even his parents or his brother not anyone. His mother died when he could barely speak, his father never deserved to hear such precious words. And although he loved his brother madly it would still be completely awkward to say it out loud. Elena was going to be the first person he was going to confess his undying love to.

It had to be perfect. It was a life changing moment. He tried saying it several times last night. He really did. But Whenever he would think of finally saying it to her, his heart would begin to flutter like a duck in a puddle. His voice would get stuck in his throat. The fear of rejection would numb his mind. What if she didn't want him? What if she laughed at his face after he confessed his feelings?

He stood in front of the mirror again to practice. "Elena! I am in love with you. And you have to love me back because if you don't I will dig myself a grave and stake myself," he said seriously. "Wooow! I did not just say that. I should probably stake myself for saying that," he thought.

He paced around the room again, looking at the watch. Only thirty minutes to her last class. And he still had no idea how to confess to her. "Girls like corny stuff. I should try that." He said as he stood in front of the mirror again. "Elena, When I am with you I feel like I am home. You're my sun, my moon, my stars…" he was out of words. "And…and all the other good shit," he completed. "Okay! Who says that to a girl they love?" his logical side mocked him.

"You know what? Maybe I don't deserve her. I am in love with an amazing woman and I can't even tell her that. She doesn't deserve a guy who starts sweating when he thinks of confessing his feelings. She deserves a man who is upfront about the way he feels for her. I am not worthy of her," he thought as he dropped down on the bed, hiding his face in his hands.

He leaned back on the headboard of her single bed. He loved her so much. More than it was possible to humanely love. Then why couldn't he just say it to her? He was unaccustomed to putting his feelings into words. He did not know how he could begin. The simple idea of a confession made him nervous. He loved her more than words can say, much more than it was even possible for someone to love, but he would have to find the words to tell her how much. But the thought of rejection made him sick down to his bones. His pessimistic side told him that he was born for misery, hardships, and disappointments. He was a vampire. And this was a curse. Nobody would want him. Elena wouldn't ever agree to the mating bond he would just have to live alone and miserable.

He was tired of sticking in between. He just wanted to get it over with. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her. That he wanted more with her. That he wanted all of her. There was a slight chance she might want more too. Wasn't it?

He closed his eyes and pictured her face in his mind. He focused on her eyes. Her doe-eyes that he was so obsessed with. Her eyes were so expressive, so honest and so kind. He felt like a prisoner held in them. He felt a smile slowly spread across his face. Something warm and soft and beautiful flowed through him and he felt very happy. She stirred something inside him that no one touched before. And then the words just flowed out.

"Elena, you're the greatest thing that has happened to me in my entire existence. I never realized how happy and complete I am with you by my side. And you don't even do anything. All you have to do is smile and I feel like…like everything just seems to fall back into place. I knew you were the one for me the moment I saw you. And ever since I've been hopelessly, achingly, madly in love with you. I…" he stopped immediately as he heard footsteps approaching. He knew it was her from her scent.

"Hey," Elena said as she opened the door. She was practically beaming as she saw him. She had been anxious to see him all day. She had been actually the one who asked him to stay over for the day. It surprised him and he gladly stayed.

He vamp sped to her. She placed her books on the table and threw her arms around him. "Hi," he greeted. She leaned in and captured his lips in a small but searing kiss. "How was your day?" she asked. "Boring," he replied. "How was your day?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair. "I…I actually missed you. I couldn't wait to come back to you," she said shyly. His smile lit up his face, blue eyes twinkled. "You did?" She nodded looking down. He bit his lip at her confession. " _Say it! Tell her that you love her,_ " his optimistic side screamed at him.

"Elena, I need to tell you something," he blurted out and regretted immediately when her eyes drew back to his face. He felt his dead heart race. His throat was suddenly dry again. "What?" Elena asked, smiling.

He felt nervous again. "Are you okay?" she asked when he didn't respond. He looked away from her, nervously, scared that she will read the confessions his eyes were screaming at her. "Yeah," he said.

"What were you saying?" she asked, looking at him with her magical doe-eyes that could manage to spell bound him within seconds. "I brought you blood bags from Jenna's house," he blurted. She smiled sweetly, thanking him for his consideration before she went to the fridge to pour herself some blood.

"I need to read an article then we will go out for a game of pool?" she said. He liked how she was the one who made plans for them outside the bedroom. He liked that she was opening up to him. She was more expressive in her feelings now.

"Anything you want, Baby," he chimed happily as he dropped down onto the love seat across her bed. She sipped from her cup gracefully. He watched her lips graze the rim of her cup. The blood stained her lower lip. She licked it clean as she read a file very carefully. He watched her intently. Her face was so beautiful, he could have gazed at her all day and never tired of looking at her. He wished he had his sketchpad right now. He wanted to draw a sketch of her right now. But he didn't have it, so he recorded every detail of her in his brain. This girl was driving him mad. She would be the death of him.

..

..

"I really don't know how to play," she said nervously. He beamed, he liked teaching her new things. Pool was one of his favorite games and he was a pro at it. He wanted to show off his expertise to her. "It's very easy. You just hold the stick like this," he said as he bent down. "And bam," He aimed at a striped ball and slammed the ball with the tip sending it toward the triangle of balls. "Huh," Elena said as she mimicked him. "It would be difficult in the beginning. It takes years of practice before you-"

Without letting him finish, Elena bent down as she lined up the tip and aimed at the striped ball. It went straight into the pocket.

"That was a lucky shot," Damon said making a face. She smirked. After another two shots, he was fuming. "There is no way you didn't know how to play pool before," he grunted when he missed yet again.

"What can I say? I am a fast learner," Elena said as another ball she shot went straight into the pocket.

"You're also a compulsive liar," he spat as shot missed. It was near the pocket though. Elena aimed at it and slammed it with her pool stick. It went straight down the pocket.

"I smell butt hurt," Elena said with a smug smile.

"I smell annoying," he retorted.

"You're one to be talking" Elena replied with a chuckle.

When she shot another ball into the pocket. He groaned loudly. "You've got to be shitting me"

She giggled when she won the game. "I won! I won! Who is the big bad vampire now?" she mocked him. He pouted, narrowing his eyes playfully. "That was a lucky win," he pretended to be upset. She continued mocking and teasing him for losing. He didn't like to lose. In fact that was the one thing he despised the most. Losing. But Winning didn't matter when it came to her. She was happy. He would let her win as many games just to see that childish glee of winning on her face.

"Cheer up," she said as she circled her arms around his neck. "I am sure you have had worse," she said, smiling.

"Stop being so smug, Baby Vamp. You just won a battle. I will win the war," he threatened, playfully his hands circled around her tiny waist.

"Such a bluff," Elena chimed back.

"I was going easy on you," he said.

"Yeah, Right! Just admit it, Damon. You are a sore loser at pool." she said smirking. "You suck!" she added proudly.

" And, you swallow," he retorted. "I know that from personal experience," he added after a second, lewdly reminding her of the amazing blow job she had given him the night before.

A blush covered her face. She might be a wildcat in bed but she was still very shy when it came to discussing anything related to sex outside the bedroom. "Really Damon? Why do you always have to be so crude? Why do you always have to act like a dick all the time?" she said, frowning.

She felt him harden. "I love it when you talk dirty to me in the middle of a crowded room," he whispered.

"You're never gonna change," she said shaking her head.

"Never."

"You know you would be more like-able if you kept your mouth shut," Elena suggested as she played with the hair on the nape of his neck.

"But where's the fun in that," he chimed back biting back a moan. He wanted her again. He had taken her two times today and yet he wanted more. He wanted her at this very moment. He could picture himself kissing every little delicate part of her body as she withered beneath him. Elena noticed lust clouding his eyes. In less than a minute he would press her against a wall and kiss her senseless. She could almost read it in his eyes. He was leaning in to capture her lips when a loud cough interrupted them. They both looked at the person interrupting their moment.

Elijah stood in front of them with a hard look on his face. "Elijah," Elena breathed as she pulled away from Damon. "Hi…" she greeted nervously.

"Hello," he greeted her and then his icy stare fell on the smirking vampire beside her. "I came here on a business meeting and I thought it would be nice to meet you for lunch but it looks like you're already busy," Elijah said

"Uh…Yeah…This is my umm boyfriend," Elena managed to choke.

Elijah's eyes widened. "Boyfriend?"

"Yes, Boyfriend." Damon said smugly as he simply wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and brought her closer to him. He held her selfishly, possessively, at this moment, never wanting to share her with anyone else. The guy, Elijah, looked at him as if he physically repulsed him.

"This is…Elijah and El…this is Damon...Damon Salvatore," Elena introduced them nervously. Her game was up. She was scared stiff.

"Pleased to meet you," Damon said in a dead calm tone.

"Likewise," Elijah replied not sparing him a glance.

"We were just going for dinner. Feel free to join us," Damon said in a cold tone.

Elijah had recognized him from the person who was kissing Elena at the bar a month ago. So this was the reason Elena refused to go out with him. Klaus wouldn't be happy to know that Elena was screwing a human.

"I rather not. I need to go back home," Elijah said rejecting the offer.

"It was nice seeing you, Elena but I need to go," Elijah said.

"It was nice seeing you too," Elena said smiling nervously.

"I should go. Enjoy your evening," Elijah said as he turned around and left, leaving the happy couple behind.

"I hate that guy," he could hear Elena's boyfriend murmur to her.

"Shh…" Elena hushed him.

When Elijah looked around one last time he saw them back in each other's arms, clinging to each other, kissing passionately.

..

..

It was time to go back home now. He didn't want to and the way she was holding his arm he knew she didn't want him to go either. But he had to go, he was after all the chief of his clan and he needed to go home and keep an eye on things. It was after all his duty to make sure everything stayed in order. "Friday evening. I will be done with my classes by five," she informed him cheerfully when he asked her when should he pick her up. It was a silent agreement between the two of them that her weekends were solely for him.

"I am actually looking forward to coming home this weekend. Bonnie promised to show me some tricks she thinks will come useful in tackling technique." She chimed and didn't notice how his heart raced when she called his town "home".

"Bonnie is looking forward to seeing you too. She missed you last week," he said, smiling. "You two really get along well," he added, noticing that the two girls were now good friends. Bonnie helped her a lot during the training sessions. She had lived with vampires long enough to know their weaknesses and she had shared a lot of her knowledge with Elena a week before. She was one of the major factors Elena felt comfortable in Ripper's Mystic Falls.

"Tell her I missed her as well," Elena replied. They slowly walked toward his car in the parking lot.

"I would ask you to stay. I really don't want you to go." Elena said turning to him. Taking a deep breath, she felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest. "It's nice to have you around," she added, shyly.

It was still very hard for her to open up. She had always been a shy person. She was learning to speak her mind from him. He was so brutally honest. She loved and hated that in him. In a way, she wanted to be like him. Confident and happy. "But I know that you have work. So I'm not going to ask you to stay" she added hurriedly. "But I can't wait to see you again" she added, earnestly.

He stood there with his breath caught in his throat and everything stopped as he got lost in her eyes. It was nice to hear sweet things like that from her. She looked away under the intensity of his gaze shyly as if she has said too much. He turned her face to him, drawing his fingers into her long locks. "I can't wait to see you again," he confessed. She smiled, shyly and stepped closer to him. There was silence for a few seconds as they stared at each other with smiles on their faces. Their eyes glistened with shy happiness. It was a heart stopping moment.

She stepped closer and wound her arms tightly about his broad shoulders embracing him as if she would never leave. "Have a safe journey," she murmured. He circled his arm around her waist, he hugged her back. He closed his eyes gently, allowing the sweet surge of love flow through his veins. It was now and never. Suddenly he felt courageous. He just couldn't hold back all the things he felt for her. He had to tell her. She pulled back after what seemed to be forever. And the surge of courage he felt a second ago disappeared. He felt his mouth dry again as he tried to speak but no sound came out.

Suddenly without warning she leaned over and pecked him on the lips. "Bye," she whispered as she turned around. "Now or never," he murmured to himself.

She was about to walk away, when a strong hand grasped her wrist and yanked her to him. "Hey," she almost yelped. "Sorry…I…just…I need to tell you something," he said, nervously. Why was he nervous? Her eyes narrowed. That was new.

She felt him quiver as he held both of her hands. "I've been wanting to say this for weeks now. I know it's too soon. You just have to hear it. You don't even have to say it back. I just want us to be on same page because I…I want more now," he stammered looking down.

"What is it?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

He felt like his heart was going to explode now. He had wanted to tell her this from the second he had laid his eyes on her. He wanted all of her. He looked up and his breath caught in his throat at how beautiful she really was. His cheeks burned as he tried to remember what he was about to say.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, worried.

"Everything is great, Elena. Everything is perfect. I…I just have to tell you something. Something I have never said to anyone in my entire existence. And I know that maybe you don't feel the same way and I completely understand. I will give you time enough to sort your thoughts-"

"Damon! What..." finally understanding what he wanted to say.

"Don't say anything just please listen and let me finish. I love you. I am in love with you. No…not just love… I'm madly, deeply, so far gone in love with you. I can't imagine my life without you in it. I want you to be with me and me to be with you. You're the best thing that happened to me. I never thought I would ever feel like this…these human emotions. You make me happy in ways I never dreamed possible. For the first time in my life, I feel alive. You're my personal light. You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. You're all I want. For the rest of my life…" He stopped for a second.

Her hands were trembling in his. Her eyes rose to his face, glowing with happiness and…love. Pure, raw love. Could it be? Did she feel the same way about him? Her eyes were filling with tears—happy tears. She looked at Damon, who was looking at her with an intensity that made her heart quicken and felt a strong, maddening pull to him.

Hands sneaking from her wrists to her waist, he pulled her closer. Her hands traced up from his torso to his chest to his cheeks, cupping his face. "I feel…I feel it too. Something very strong. I mean it when I say that I have never felt like this for someone before. You're all I think about these days and I…I can't say that-" she tried to speak.

"I know, I completely understand. I told you I will give you time to sort out your feelings," he said nodding, smiling. She wasn't rejecting him. In fact, she said she felt it too.

"You're crying," he pointed out.

"I am happy. I…know, I know that I didn't say it back but I…I…" she tried to say. He let out a small laugh "I understand. You need time. Trust me, It took me three weeks to finally say it out loud. Say it when you mean it. I don't want you to regret anything. I just wanted you to know what I felt. I…I love you, Elena." He kissed her forehead and continued, "I love you so much it physically hurts."

Reaching her right hand around his neck and anchoring the other on his hard chest, she stood on her toes until their lips were almost even and locked him into a hard, long, fierce kiss, unable to get enough of him. Raking his fingers in her hair, he angled his mouth and took the kiss deeper, exploring her.

They pulled back after what seemed to be forever, panting harshly leaning back till only their foreheads touched. She cupped his face and nipped his lips again. "I make you wait a lot for everything, Don't I?" she asked, smirking.

He nodded, pouting. "But it's worth it"

"I won't make you wait long this time…" she whispered, blushing.

"Good because I just found out I am not very good at waiting," he replied as his hold on her waist tightened.

"No seriously. Take your time. I want it to be real when you say it," he said closing his eyes, inhaling her scent, relishing the feel of her.

She nodded, eyes closed savoring his presence.

Goodbye was a lot harder this time. It took them a lot of time to allow each other out of their arms. She almost stopped him when he ignited the car's engine to life. She stopped herself after reminding herself that she would see him after three days and that by then she would be ready enough to say it back. To tell him that she loved him as much as he loved her. That she couldn't imagine a world without him. That life without him would be meaningless. Now she felt sad that she didn't say it right at that moment. But then a sudden thought came into her mind. She wanted to make it special for him. She beamed as she thought of different ways of how to say it back to him. She walked back to her building replaying the memory of him declaring his love to her over and over again in her head. She laughed a bit at how surprised she was when it was so obvious.

Just then her phone chimed. She answered as soon as she saw who it was. "I miss you already," she heard Damon's whining voice. She laughed openly and talked to the man that she loved oh so much unaware of the watchful eyes that followed her until she entered the building.

..

..

The loud buzz of Elena's phone woke her up early. She had been up pretty late working on her assignments. She didn't need to study much since she was a vampire and had a photographic memory but she still needed to study. She narrowed her eyes as she saw who was calling her and answered.

"Morning sister," Elena said in a sleepy tone.

"Did you get the wedding videos I sent Jenna?" Caroline asked.

"Umm…No I didn't. I will go over today and pick them up from her," Elena said in a tired tone. "Didn't you go on your super long honeymoon yet?" Elena asked.

"No! Nick has some important things to settle first. We are leaving this Sunday though," she replied in a very non-excited way. There was something on her mind.

"Honey!"

"Yes."

"Did you break up with the Ripper lover boy yet?" Caroline asked impatiently.

"And there it is," Elena said, annoyed.

"So you didn't," Caroline seethed. "Are you in love with him or something?" she asked.

"So what if I am," Elena said. She didn't care what anyone thought.

"Are you SERIOUSLY asking me that?" Caroline raged. She took a deep breath as an attempt to calm herself down. "Honey! Just answer this. Are you…Are you in love with him?" She asked afraid of the answer.

Elena took a deep breath. Caroline was her best friend and her sister. She was the only person aside from Jenna who knew the truth. She wanted to get it off her chest. She pictured Damon's face. The mischievous glint in his eyes. The fine lines of his body. His handsome and proud face filled with tenderness and light—very light dimples deepening his smiles.

"Yes," she breathed.

"Are you seriously saying that?" Caroline nearly shouted. Elena trembled. "Your clan will not only abandon you. They will kill you. What the hell Honey?" Caroline said with harsh breaths. It sounded like she was panting.

"Loving someone isn't a crime," Elena defended herself.

"Yes, but loving the enemy is. Loving a person who wants to destroy your family is a crime. Honey, what's wrong with you? You were never like this before. I thought your family was your top priority. I thought Nick was your top priority."

"I love my family too."

"If you loved your family you wouldn't be fucking a Ripper," she spat.

"You know what, Care. That's none of your fucking business. I am starting to see why none of my siblings like you," Elena spat back. It hurt. She felt guilty again. She knew Caroline was right. She hated the fact though. She just didn't want to accept the reality that Damon and she weren't meant to be. That they were nothing but a dream.

"Believe me, Honey, this will end up horribly if you don't end it now. I know that you hate me right now. I get it. But you should know that I'm only saying this because I care about you."

"Well then, don't," Elena said as she hung up.

..

..

Caroline paced around the room, anxiously. Things were getting out of hand. When did Elena become so rebellious? As far as she remembered her friend didn't have the guts to talk back to her siblings let alone go against them.

She looked at a family picture of Mikelson's that hung grandly on the wall. The reason Caroline fell in love with Klaus was because of his family. How they always had each other's backs. How they loved each other so much. And it would fall apart because of her. Because she didn't follow rules. Caroline sighed. Elena's betrayal would destroy Nick. He loved his youngest sister too much.

She almost trembled when she felt a pair of arms encircle her from the back. Klaus rested his chin on her shoulder. "Just got our passports. We will be leaving for Paris on Sunday. One month of just you and me," he said huskily as he nuzzled her neck.

A plan suddenly formed in her mind. Elena had been far from her family a lot. It was time to remind Elena who was more important. Blood or love.

"Honey, says she is homesick and that she misses you," Caroline said turning around facing him.

Klaus's face contoured into deep concern. "She does? Then she should just come back. We miss her here too," Klaus said in a concerned laced tone. It broke Caroline's heart. If only he knew what his sister has been doing behind his back.

"No! She is happy there," Caroline said. "Why don't we just give her a little surprise visit at Duke. In fact, I think all of you should go. You, Bex and Kol. All of you need a little siblings' reunion before I take you far far away from them for a month," she said as she placed her hands on his chest.

Klaus beamed. "That's actually a very good idea and it came out of you," he said, surprised.

Caroline slapped his shoulder. "Ouch!"

He laughed slightly. "I will get Kol and Rebekah. You're right. We do need a little sibling time."

..

..

Elena was watching the wedding videos Caroline sent Jenna. She and Jenna laughed at certain parts and got teary eyed when Klaus said his vows. Even though she was mad at Caroline. She loved the girl to death. Caroline was the reason her brother was so happy now. He deserved it.

 _I will try not to kill you with my clumsiness and most of all I promise to always have your back no matter how many arguments we have._

Caroline said her vows. It reminded Elena of Damon and her. They argued a lot. In fact, they argued and bickered about pretty much everything. They had understanding. They had chemistry. But most of all they were always there for each other.

Not once but twice, he was there when she was in danger. He threw himself in the face of death to save her. And she had his back too when he needed her. She could have left him to die when the werewolf bit him but she didn't. She shuddered, unable to bear the thought of him being injured.

And the second time, when he was ready to stake himself to save her. She felt agonized by the very thought. There was no world for her if he didn't exist.

That was it. She knew, she loved him. She was hopelessly, madly and passionately in love with him. And she had to tell him now.

..

..

Damon huffed when he heard about Klaus's wedding. Even his worst enemy found his match. And here he was waiting for the love of his life to declare her undying love for him. Yes, he was a bit disappointed that Elena didn't say it right back. But then again, it took him 50 failed attempts and more than three weeks to say it to her.

His chest warmed a bit when he remembered that she said that she felt the same and that she just needed time to process her thoughts. He knew she felt the same. He had waited a hundred and seventy-five years for her he could wait a few days more.

He was at Great Smokey mountains, Tennessee with Mason and Alaric to pluck fresh wolfsbane. The wolfsbane here was most effective. They needed a lot of it since the arrival of the new batch of wolves. It came handy during their training of shape shifting.

His mind went to a conversation with Stefan he just had a few moments ago. Stefan informed him that one of the vampires who attacked Elena a few weeks ago had a mate too. Maybe, she would know what her dead mate and his brother wanted with Elena. But unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found.

He gritted his teeth in frustration as he plucked out another root and shoved it in the bag. This was supposed to be Stefan's job but since Stefan was out doing him a favor he had to do his duties instead. The bit of mud got stuck in his nails and he hissed in frustration.

His phone chimed loudly. Without looking who was calling he answered. "WHAT?" he growled.

"Uhh… It's me," His dead heart skipped a beat hearing her sweet voice.

"Hey Baby!" he replied, smiling ear to ear.

From a distance, he heard Mason and Alaric scoff at the change of his tone. "Whipped," He heard Mason's whisper.

"Damon, something…something happened?" she stammered, shyly. He would kill to see the blush on her face now.

"What? Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. "Is something wrong?" he asked, alarmed.

" No! I am okay. Everything is great…I just needed to tell you something," she said taking a deep breath.

"Can you hold that thought? I am not alone right now…There are two very annoying gits listening to every word you're saying without any respect for our privacy," he spat and he heard Mason laugh out loud.

"No…Not yet. It's important. Please, we need to talk now," she said in a shaky tone. There was something really wrong. He instantly felt alarmed. "Okay. Give me a minute," he said as he flashed further away from prying ears.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I… realized something about you. Something about us. This is the most real thing that I have ever felt in my entire life. I guess what I am trying to say is that I…I love you, Damon." She stopped taking a deep breath probably trying to gain more courage.

Good, because he needed a minute too. Let's rewind. The girl that he loved so madly, just declared her love for him. He felt butterflies in his stomach, darting hither and dither, robbing him of speech. He had never felt so happy in his life. He was bursting with emotions, with happiness and desire, and most of all love. So much love he felt overwhelmed.

She continued. "I am in love with you and I…I guess I have been for a while. You make me feel happy that I am alive. I can depend on you. There are a lot of things that made me fall in love with you so madly. It could be your childish banters or your sucky sense of humor or your huge ego or your dirty jokes or the way you just make me smile by your presence. I don't know when or how…it's just you got under my skin and no matter how hard I try; I can't seem to shake you off…"

He gazed up at the bright blue sky and smiled as he heard her talk about how much she loved him. Was it real? He was going to be pissed if this turned out to be a dream. Peace and love coursed through his veins.

"There are a million things about you that I hate and love at the same time and I will list out each and every one of it and I know I'm going to regret doing that since that will only help grow your already huge ego…" she let out a shaky laugh. "I guess what I am trying to say is that I love you more than words, and I never want to lose you. I want to keep you forever." She stopped and waited for him to respond.

He exhaled in contentment with a smile on his face. "I really want to kiss you right now," he breathed.

She let out a laugh. "Say it again," he insisted.

"I love you," she replied.

"I love you too," he breathed. "Do you have any idea how desperately I wanted to hear that from you," he said. "I want to see you now," he added.

"I can visit tomorrow," she suggested.

"No! I am not in Mystic Falls. I am in Tennessee. We are here for some clan stuff. Anyway, as soon as I am done I'm going to hunt you down and give you the most mind blowing night of your life," he said.

"I think I can schedule you in."

He let out a laugh looking up at the sky. "You have no idea how much I want you right now," Elena said shyly.

"You and I both baby," he replied.

"Damon? We are moving toward the east coast. Are you done?" Alaric asked.

"Baby, I will call you back in a while. These annoying pricks need me."

"Don't keep me waiting for long," she chimed.

"I love you," he said, smiling.

"I love you too," she replied sweetly before she hung up.

"Couldn't you give me a minute?" he hissed at Alaric back in his chief tone.

Alaric eyed him, smirking. Despite his fake annoyed tone, he was glowing. "That was Elena,"

"Who else would it be?" he said in the same fake annoyed tone. Not anyone, not even Rick could ruin this moment. "You got the girl," Rick wasn't asking he was stating.

His face lit up like a flash at the thought. A slow, shy smile spread across his face which turned into a smirk. "I got the girl".

..

..

Elena was brushing her hair and getting ready for her class when the knock on the door interrupted her. That couldn't be Damon. They had talked last night and Damon assured her that he wasn't going to reach her till late at night since he still had some very important work to do.

When she opened the door she nearly gasped. "Nick? Becky? Kol?" she said surprised.

"Surprise," Rebekah said, beaming.

"Hello Lil sis," Kol said, smirking as he entered her room as if he owned the place.

"You live in this trash when I could buy you a lavish apartment within seconds," he said making a face.

"I offered but she said she wanted a normal human college experience," Klaus said.

"What are you guys doing here?" Elena asked, wide eyed.

"We are here to see you. Our bimbo sister told us that you missed us and that you were homesick," Rebekah said.

"She did?" Elena asked. She felt a bit angry at her friend.

"We missed you too," Klaus said cupping her face as if she was made of glass. She smiled at her brother nervously.

She hugged her brother and smiled. "Awww! Where is my hug?" Kol asked pouting. She let go of Klaus and wrapped her arms around Kol.

"Enough hugs! Let Honey go. She needs to get ready. We are already late for our reservations" Rebekah said as she zoomed to her closet. "No sense of fashion at all," she muttered as she scanned through Elena's dresser.

"Where are we going?" Elena asked.

"We are going to a five-star restaurant to have lunch. Then we are going to spend the day together. Just the four of us. Before Nick leaves for his honeymoon with his Bimb…I mean Caroline," Rebekah said as she took out a dress for Elena.

"But I have classes."

"I'm sure you will manage later," Kol said as he ushered her to the washroom.

..

..

Elena was nervous as hell sitting across from her siblings in a very expensive restaurant. Kol cracked another joke and they all laughed loudly. She was trying to enjoy her siblings company but she was scared stiff. In a few hours, Damon was supposed to show up to take her home—his home.

What if he arrived early and saw her with her siblings? She knew that he couldn't harm her with her siblings around. They would shred him to pieces if he even looked at her the wrong way. But then she didn't want her siblings to hurt him either. She loved him.

"You've been really quite Honey. Is something wrong?" Klaus asked her holding her hand.

"Oh, come-on! Nick! Like Honey was ever a chatter box. Need I remind you that the only chatter platter in our clan is your mate," Rebekah said looking at her sister.

"You're right. My Honey was always the calm one," Klaus said lovingly.

* * *

 **Flashback**

* * *

 _He stood there outside the hospital room as the nurse handed the baby to him. To the world, she was his step-sister but to him she was his world, his light, his one way out of darkness._

 _"Elena" Klaus murmured as he touched her temples lightly with his fingertips. She was so soft. After all, she was a human. She was his last chance. Last chance to fulfill what he had dreamed for centuries. He was in deep trouble these days. He didn't have the power that he use to have two centuries ago but now with Elena in the picture, everything was about to change. Soon._

 _She was like a ray of sunshine to a man who had been locked up in dark cellar for centuries. She was his savior. He vowed to himself that he would give all his love to this little bundle of joy who would soon become the reason he would be the king of the world._

* * *

 **Over**

* * *

"Look, Nick, we all know that you love Honey the most but you don't have to parade it in front of us," Kol said pouting.

"Don't worry. You're my favorite," Rebekah said patting him on his head.

"Who is your favorite Honey?" Kol asked, brows raised.

"Of course, Kol not you. My favorite is Nick," she said beaming at her older brother who grinned at Kol mischievously. "You lost the status of being my favorite when you thought that I wouldn't be able to get a date myself to my senior prom and you compelled Paul for me," Elena said narrowing her eyes.

Rebekah and Klaus broke into fits of laughter.

* * *

 **Flashback**

* * *

 _Seventeen-year-old Elena Michelson lay on her stomach on the bed. She felt someone jump on the bed. "Pouty, Why the long face?" Kol asked playing with her hair. "Paul asked out Jennifer to the prom. I was hoping he would ask me out," Elena replied. She was a human back then. She had human wishes. Petty human wishes._

 _"Hmmm," Kol said, stroking her hair. He left after a while. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. "Honey! There is someone here to see you." Rebekah shouted from downstairs. "Some guy Paul," she added._

 _Elena dashed downstairs. "Hi!" she said, beaming._

 _"Elena…Would you go to the prom with me?" Paul asked as he went toward her._

 _"I…I will but I thought you were going with Jennifer."_

 _"I don't care about her. You have to go to prom with me and only ME," Paul said stepping closer._

 _"Uhhh...Becky…he is scaring me," Elena said taking a step back._

 _"What's going on over here?" Klaus said as he appeared out of nowhere._

 _"Elena! Please say yes please say yes," Paul started begging going down on his knees._

 _"Oh my God! What's wrong with him?" Elena said hiding behind her sister from the unhinged boy._

 _"Hey, you! Pimpled Jock! Step away from my sister," Klaus warned him._

 _"He has been compelled," Rebekah realized when he kept stepping toward them. Klaus zoomed in between his sisters and the compelled boy. He held the boy's shoulder with an iron grip. "Stop," Klaus said looking at the boy straight in the eye, compelling him._

 _"Elena! You have to go to the prom with me. You don't understand. It's very important. You're only going with me," The boy kept talking even though he couldn't move anymore. "Shut up" Klaus growled. "who was the last person you met before you came here?" Klaus demanded._

 _"Elena's brother Kol. He…He came to my house and…I don't remember after-" Paul said confused._

 _"KOL! I am going to MURDER your vampire ass," Elena raged as she dashed out of the house._

* * *

 **Over**

* * *

"I must say she was tiny back then but she knew how to slap," Kol complemented.

"I taught her that," Rebekah said beaming.

They started reminiscing about Elena's high school life. Klaus told everyone that even though he didn't go to high school he did get to enjoy the experience with Elena. Elena bit her lip. As flashes of her childhood came to her mind.

* * *

 **flashback**

* * *

 _Sixteen-year-old Elena was crying on her sister's shoulder. Matt had just broken up with her because she refused to have sex with him. "I just told him that I wasn't ready and he started shouting at me. He said that if I didn't do it with him he will leave me. Becky I wasn't ready…I just…I miss him," she cried childishly._

 _"That fucking prick, I am going to murder him," Kol growled pacing around the room like a madman. "Kol" Klaus warned._

 _"She has been crying her eyes out Nick. What do we do?" Rebekah asked looking helplessly at Nick._

 _Klaus sat next to her. "Honey! Honey! Look at me. That dick wasn't worth it. And besides this wasn't even love…this was puppy love. You're very young and you have so much to experience. You're beautiful, fun, attractive and creative…you're so much more than just an occasional hookup. He doesn't know what he is missing. And quite honestly…_

 _It saddens me that you're not proud of your decision. You shouldn't be crying after him. You should be proud that you dodged a bullet. That you left a guy who only wanted you for your body and not the beautiful soul that you possess._

 _It's a matter of respect, Honey. You have respect for yourself. You said no to him. The girl he left you for, didn't. Matt is stuck there with a girl who will let anyone stick it inside her. That's his loss. He should be the one crying—not you," Klaus said as he wiped her tears._

 _"I thought I loved him," Elena said dropping her head on his chest. He stroked his sister's hair. "No, you didn't. That's not love. Love is what you feel for a person who makes you happy that you're alive. All that dick did was, make you cry. That's not, definitely, not love," Klaus said._

 _Elena nodded, understandingly. "That's my good girl," Klaus said lovingly._

 _Even though Elena was okay now. Klaus felt himself burning. He was going to have a little talk with that pesky human who made his sister cry. It reminded him so much of the time Rebekah got her heartbroken by that fucking Ripper. He wouldn't let Elena feel that kind of pain. She was his angel. His sister who would become the reason he would rule the world. She was doing so much for him. In return he would make sure she was always safe and happy._

* * *

 **over**

* * *

"So, Honey" Rebekah snapped her out of her thoughts. "Any hot hook ups?" Rebekah asked winking.

"No! No! No! I am not listening to my sister's stories about boning guys. I may look modern but I am still the caveman I was 1000 years ago," Klaus said making a face.

"I can't agree more," Kol added making a disgusted face.

"And speaking of which, I hear from a very reliable source that you have been going out with some human," Klaus added, suspiciously.

Elena's heart skipped a beat. Elijah must have told Klaus about Damon.

So, Elijah thought she was going out with a human. That was a relief. But she knew the relief was not going to last long. "Just some classmate. We are just hanging out." Elena said looking away.

Klaus looked at her suspiciously.

"Come on! Nick! Let the girl live…she is old enough to make her own decisions," Rebekah said looking at Nick.

"I know," Klaus said with a sigh. "Gone are the days when this little one needed my help in just about everything," he added.

* * *

 **Flashback**

* * *

 _Fifteen year old Elena was excellent at academics. The only subject she was weak in was Calculus. She was on the verge of failing. And like always she turned to the one person she depended on most. Her elder brother, Klaus. He was not only her brother. He was like a father figure to her too._

 _Isobel was hardly home and Michael, as the chief of the clan was always busy. Klaus was busy too but he was always available when it came to her._

 _"I just can't do it," Elena huffed, giving up when another one of her answers was wrong. "I am useless."_

 _"Honey, You just need a little practice. It's very easy. All you have to do is multiply this quadratic equation with…" he trailed off when Elena started to cry._

 _"I can't do this…It's really difficult. I can't get a single question right. I have a major quiz tomorrow and I am gonna fail it. I will never graduate and I will be a loser forever," she whined._

 _"Hey! Come-on" he said as he circled an arm around her. "You're not a loser. You're very special Honey. Very Special. One day you're going to do something very great for me and your clan and you're going to make us all proud. We will rule this earth because of you," he said kissing her forehead._

 _"How will I help you rule the planet when I can't even solve a quadratic equation?" she whined. "I am a disappointment."_

 _"No, you're not, Honey. You're my angel. My last hope. Your clan is in a very difficult situation these days and you're our ray of sunshine. This is nothing compared to what great things you will do for us. This only needs a little effort. You have to put your mind into it." Klaus encouraged her._

 _"But how?"_

 _"Do not get upset when something you want to learn seems a little hard at first. Just keep practicing until you are good at it." He encouraged._

 _"Know this, You have to be the best, Elena. There is no other option for you. Not the third best. Not the second best. Only then can you overcome your weakness and be the strongest of all," he said as he argued with her to continue practicing._

 _She practiced the whole night and he stayed up with her. She got an A on that exam and Klaus was damn proud._

* * *

 **over**

* * *

They chatted throughout the evening. With every passing second, guilt flooded Elena's veins. Memory after memory of her siblings and her came to her mind. Rebekah making her favorite dishes, vacations with Kol, going to Balls with her siblings, attending events with her clan. Memory after memory making her feel guilty and reminding her where she really belonged.

As they came out of the restaurant, Klaus made a move to hold her hand. Even though she was a vampire, her elder brother still held her hand, like she was a little girl. He helped her cross the road.

* * *

 **Flashback**

* * *

 _Six-year-old Elena was playing with her friends Eve and Jeremy. At some distance, Jenna and Klaus were talking. Her nanny was supposed to keep an eye on them but she was busy ogling a shirtless Kol who was washing his most prized car._

 _Eve threw the ball toward the road. "I will go get it," Elena chimed as she ran to retrieve the ball. A car skidded on the road, racing toward her. She stood there wide eyed, too shocked to move. In a flash, Klaus was in front of her, he pushed her toward the pavement but didn't get the time to zoom away himself. The car hit him with full force and threw his body. The car backed up and slammed into him once more. His prone, wounded body bounced against the pole before he fell on the road. Blood. Blood everywhere._

 _Elena screamed in agony as she saw her brother. At that time, she didn't know he was a vampire and he would heal soon._

 _Kol rushed to him in seconds and talked to him in a hushed tone. "Jenna! Take Honey inside," Klaus said as he tried to push away his youngest sister who was crying and clinging to his injured body. "Honey, I am fine," he tried to soothe her as he coughed up blood. Kol compelled the worried driver that everything was fine. Isobel and Michael carried Klaus inside. She wanted to see her elder brother desperately._

 _They kept telling Elena that he was okay but she didn't believe them until she saw Klaus herself. He didn't have a single scratch on him. That was the first time she knew her family wasn't a normal family. They were special and she was the most special of them all._

* * *

 **over**

* * *

"Should I walk you home?" Klaus asked once they were done for the day. They had visited multiple art galleries. They watched a movie together and they had dinner together. Kol and Rebekah were ready to go home. Klaus insisted on dropping her to her dormitory.

"I will be staying with Jenna tonight," Elena lied, promising herself that this would be the last time she would lie to him.

Her brother smiled and drove her to Jenna's house. "Honey, How many blood bags do you drink in a day?" he asked, eyeing her weak physique.

"Two," Elena said.

"Three, Elena. You're supposed to drink three blood bags," Klaus said angrily.

Elena nodded, smiling weakly. "You're so caring," Elena said lovingly.

"Of course I am. I have to make sure you're up and healthy when I am walking you down the aisle someday," Klaus said reminding her of something that happened years and years ago.

* * *

 **Flashback**

* * *

 _Three year old Elena bounced in her flower girl dress. Today, her sister was getting married. Like always she was clinging to her older brother. Klaus ruffled her hair roughly._

 _"Don't," Elena said angrily._

 _Klaus smirked and ruffled her hair again. "Nick!" she said warning him off._

 _The music started, Rebekah walked in holding Micheal's hand. She looked at her sister with awe. She looked so beautiful. Elena wished she could be that beautiful. Marcel beamed at her shyly from far away._

 _"Nick," she attracted her brother's attention to her. Nick seemed spell bound too by Rebekah. Elena shook him furiously until he was looking at her._

 _"What's going to happen now?" she asked, pouting, demanding details. This was after all the first human wedding she had witnessed._

 _"Father is going to walk Becky down the aisle now."_

 _"Why?" she said as she settled on his lap._

 _He circled his arms around her and kissed her hair. "So she could get married to the man that she loves."_

 _"Will I walk down the aisle too?" she asked, looking at her brother curiously._

 _"Someday," Klaus said smiling._

 _"Who will walk me down the aisle?" she asked, touching his cheek._

 _"Father or Kol or me"_

 _"Will you walk me down the aisle?" she asked cupping his face._

 _"Of course but won't you want Father to walk you down the aisle like Becky?" he asked._

 _"No! I want you to walk me down the aisle because I love you the most," she insisted._

 _Klaus smiled and kissed her nose. "I love you the most too."_

* * *

 **over**

* * *

"Call me anytime you need me," Klaus instructed.

"I will," she had tears in her eyes now. Caroline was right. She was deceiving her family. She was deceiving the people she loved for a man who didn't even know what her full name was.

"Take Care, Honey," Klaus said kissing her cheek.

He waved good bye to her before he left with Rebekah and Kol.

Elena fell on the porch floor. Tears running down her face in streams. Kol, Rebekah, and Klaus had always been there for her. They treated her like she was their own. Klaus always treated her like she was his daughter. Rebekah was the most amazing big sister anyone could ever ask and Kol… her Kol, her brother he would do anything for her. And this is how she repaid them. She was fucking their enemy. Damon had never made it a secret that he hated Originals. Would he even accept her if he knew she was Klaus's sister? Would he still love her?

It didn't matter to her if he didn't. She loved him regardless. She loved him so much that the thought of being separated from him brought her physical pain. She wanted to be with him now and forever. He made her feel alive. He made her happy. He showed her how to live. He was everything she dreamt of when she pictured a person she could spend the rest of her life with. But somethings just aren't meant to be. She wiped her tears. In the war of blood against love. Blood won and love lost.

..

..

She saw Damon pacing around the parking lot of her dorm anxiously. "Elena!" he breathed her name like a prayer. He vamp sped to her and took her in his arms tenderly. "I…I was waiting for you. Where were you?" he said, pouting as he pulled back. Without waiting for her reply he dove in for a kiss, she moved her face away just before their lips met. "No," she said slightly pushing him away.

"What's wrong?" he said, the huge smile on his face faltering.

"Damon…Don't," she said when he dove in again. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked in a panic laced tone. "Oh…I get it. You want me to say it first..." he said smirking. "I love you. I love you more, than anyone could ever love you," he said holding her hips. "Now your turn," he said. "You have no idea how desperately I want to hear you say it," he added, cupping his face.

She took a deep breath. She didn't want to do this. She really didn't. Not when he was looking at her like that. Like his whole world depended on her next sentence. "Damon I…I was wrong. I thought…I thought I loved you but…I misinterpreted my feelings. I like you but only as a friend." She said in a shaky tone avoiding his eyes. When he looked at her like that she couldn't lie.

His hands fell from her hips to his sides. "What?" he choked. "You're kidding right?" he said with a shaky laugh. "You're not serious," he added taking a step back. He felt as if someone plunged a wooden dagger in his heart. He could feel the slight wetness in his eyes. What were they? Tears. _No! No_! His mind chanted.

"I am serious. Damon, I don't love you," she said as she tried to look void of emotions. In a way she was. She felt like her dead heart had stopped beating again. Not even the silent slow heartbeat. She was dying now. She couldn't go through this.

"But you said on the call that-"

"I know what I said…Like I said, I misinterpreted my feelings."

"Are you even listening to the things that are coming out of your mouth? You honestly expect me to believe that?" he spat. He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself. "I think you're just panicking and I underst-" he was cut off by her.

"I am not panicking. You're deluding yourself," she said looking away.

He felt something collapse deep inside him, a darkness falling in on itself, bending, breaking every part of him. "And all the things that you said on the call? That I make you happy? That you want to be with me and only me forever?" he reminded her desperately.

"It didn't mean anything," Elena said fighting back a sob.

"Like hell it didn't," he growled as he shoved her against the pillar blocking any type of exits. "Please! Please! Tell me that you're lying, that you're joking." he almost begged.

"I know that I am hurting you but this is the truth and you need to face it. And I think its best that we don't see each other again," she managed to choke out. In this moment, she just wanted to dig herself a grave and stake herself. She wanted to cry and grovel on her knees and beg him not to leave. But she stood strong. She couldn't betray her family. She couldn't betray blood no matter how much she wanted to be with her love.

"Baby Vamp, I get it. You're scared. This is a huge step. I get it but don't leave me. Okay, I won't ask for more. I am happy with the way things are. Nothing needs to change…I…" he continued desperately, anything to make her stay. "You have had your heart broken before and I completely understand that it's hard for you to start over and I will give you as much time as-" he continued, trying to convince her. Mentally cursing the person who had broken her heart so bad that it was so difficult for her to take a chance again.

She shook her head.

"This doesn't need to be over Elena. We have an understanding. We like to be around each other. We bring out the best in each other. We have chemistry and love-" he tried listing out the good parts of their relationship to make her stay.

She was tempted. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to stay with him. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let him leave. But then the thought of her family came to her mind.

"I feel nothing for you," she lied through her teeth. "No chemistry. No love. Nothing. I'm surprised that…that you actually thought that I could ever love you," she said in a shaky tone.

He trembled at her words. A fierce anger hit him in his heart. "Told you not to go easy on her," his inner demon mocked him. "You just made a fool out of yourself," his inner demon whispered. He felt his heart breaking piece by piece. The toxic raw form of misery and pain choked him.

He lowered his hand slowly, mouth open, but no words came out. When he looked up his face said it all. His agonized eyes pooled with tears. The sincerity of his pained expression moved her. His hands dropped to his sides as he stepped away.

"You are breaking my heart," he whispered.

She tried to remain icy. She needed to leave now. One more minute and she would be down on her knees groveling for forgiveness. "I am sure you've had worse," Elena said as she stepped away from him.

Heartless. She didn't care about his feelings. He tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill any second now. Not like she cared.

But then his eyes darted to a dark shadow behind her. The person was holding a crossbow at her. He didn't have time to warn. He didn't care if the girl just broke his heart. She might not love him but he did love her. Madly. He vamp sped in front of her, wrapping her in his arms turning her around.

The wooden stake plunged into his back. He shouted in agony. "Damon," Elena said alarmed. She looked around and scanned for danger. She could see a woman coming toward them holding a gun and wooden stakes in her belt.

Elena zoomed in front of him, her arms spread out to protect her injured boyfriend who was currently panting on the ground. "Stay back," she warned.

"I thought you didn't care about him," the girl said with a smirk. Damon looked up at his doe-eyed vampire protecting him.

The girl took another step toward them. Elena hissed "I said stay back," Elena vamped out snarling at the girl.

Damon twisted his hand behind his back to take out the wooden stake. He felt like it was burning him from the inside. His eyes darted to Elena. His doe-eyed vampire. His queen. He knew she was lying. She did care about him. She did love him. Why else would she protect him like that?

The girl tried to attack Damon since he was weak but Elena attacked her first, pushing her to the wall. The girl snarled at Elena and pushed her away. Elena fell back on a car, the glass of the front screen sinking in her palms. "You KILLED MY MATE. I WILL KILL YOU," the woman shouted as she gripped Elena by her throat and threw her across the parking lot.

Damon growled furiously as he tried to stand up. But the burning sensation due to the wooden stake plunged into his back made it impossible for him to move. He tried to take out but he couldn't quite reach. He knew who she was. She was probably the mate of one of the vampires who attacked Elena. Stefan did mention she disappeared a few days ago. So she was here, searching for Elena. This scared him. What did they want with her?

"Let her go," he pleaded as the woman walked toward Elena.

Elena tried to attack back but the woman gripped her by her hand and twisted it around her back.

"She didn't kill your mate. I did," Damon managed to choke out. The girl froze.

"Leave her, please" he pleaded.

"Why? Why did you kill my mate?" the girl demanded.

"Because he wanted to kill MINE," he growled back.

The girl glared at him. "This girl is your mate?" she asked, venomously. She didn't wait for him to answer. She took out a stake from her belt as she pushed Elena down on a car's hood. Elena tried to squirm out of her arms but the girl was stronger. "You know what they say, an eye for an eye. A mate for a mate," she said as she aimed the stake at Elena's heart.

The woman looked unhinged. Damon watched horrified from a distance. Damon's face paled. "No," he said. He felt himself crumble, dissolving into dust as he watched with a horror-struck expression. "No! Please," he said as he tried to get up.

The woman looked at him with a smirk. "Please! I will do anything," he said desperately. The woman drew her hand back to destroy the thing he cherished most. "No! No!" he muttered as he mustered up all his strength and launched at the woman. He didn't care that every inch of his body hurt. He didn't care that he was weak and that girl could kill him easily. He threw her off in the other direction. The girl crashed into a car, breaking its windows. The girl tried to attack him back. She took out another wooden stake and plunged it into his shoulder.

He shouted in pain as he dropped to his knees. Elena was at his side in an instance. She plucked both of the stakes out, crying as if she could feel his pain. He winced as the burning sensation started to fade. She was tending his injured arm. "You're okay…you're going to be okay," she murmured tenderly.

From the corner of his eye, Damon noticed the woman get up and stand on her feet. She took out a wooden arrow from her bag and set it in her crossbow. She aimed at Elena. Before the tip of the arrow could even touch Elena, using his vampire speed Damon caught it. He broke it into pieces, glaring at the attacker.

"Attack me and I might even forgive you. Going after my girl…wrong move," he said as he picked up the stake that woman recently dropped. In a crazy rage, he vamp sped to her. He pushed her across the room. He drew his hand back and plunge it into the girl's chest. The girl gasped as she fell back. Her heart stopped the next minute and she started graying indicating her death.

He looked back at the horrified girl. He walked slowly toward her. "I will clean the mess. You should go to your dorm," he said avoiding her eyes.

Next thing he knew he was trapped between a weak pair of arms. "I am sorry… I am really sorry. I didn't mean a word of what I said. I love you. I really do. I love you so much it hurts. I am just scared," she said crying hysterically.

"Of what, Elena? Scared of what? Why are you so afraid to love me?" he asked, bitterly.

"I was lying."

"I knew you were lying I can read your eyes." He shouted. "But do you have any idea how much it hurts when you said all those things to me. You make me want to take of my ring and burn in sunlight. You make me want to kill myself," he said.

"Damon, I… I love you with every fiber of my being. I love you like I love no one. You're all I see. You're all I want-"

"You're only saying this. You don't mean a single thing of it. Do you know how much courage it took to tell you that I love you? These are the words that I never said to anyone in my life until you. I poured my heart out to you only to have you mock my love…"

"No! Damon… I am sorry… I was scared. I truly do love you," she said as she tried to get close to him.

"I don't believe you," he said turning his head to the side.

She cupped his face making him look at her. "I really do love you."

"Just ten minutes ago you told me that you feel nothing for me," he reminded her as the bitter thoughts returned. He felt miserable again.

"I love you," she said earnestly.

His expressions softened but he still looked away, hurt.

"You don't believe me?" she asked looking sadly at him. His eyes shot up to hers. His icy blue eyes filled with hurt and pain.

He trembled slightly when she stepped closer. That's when a thought crossed her mind. He was in love with her. And so was his vampire self, his inner demon. He was fighting back his demon's urges to claim her.

Sliding her hair to a side, she stepped closer. "Bite me."

"What?" he gasped.

"Bite me. Share blood with me. Make me yours forever," she offered. "You don't have to fight it anymore. I want this too. Claim me as yours. Bite me," she said closing her eyes.

He stared at her completely dumbfounded. Was she offering what he thinks she was offering? Didn't she know there was no turning back after this? They will be bound to each other for eternity.

"Elena…"

"I know you want this. I want this too. Do it."

"There is no going back after this" he reminded her, feeling his control slipping. The fragrance of her blood was blinding him.

"I love you. I am ready for this," she said, her eyes still closed.

He watched her with an awestruck expression. He bent down toward her throat.

Elena felt his lips against her throat. She waited for his teeth to pierce through her skin. She didn't care about the consequences. This was what she wanted. She loved him and she wanted to be his forever.

..

..

 _Beta Credits to Alta Beron. My amazing beta. She's so busy yet she helps around with these monstrously long chapters._

 _I hope you liked the chapter._

 _I'm about to retire from fanfiction but it's still amazing to read your reviews. So don't forget to drop down your comments. Tell me what you liked and all. It would mean the world to me._

 _Review?_


	15. The Ripper Queen

Chapter 14: 'The Ripper Queen'

* * *

She felt wet kisses along her neckline. She waited in anticipation for him to bite. He looked up with a small smile. "You're just saying it in the rush of the situation. You're going to regret it in the morning like you always do and there would be nothing we can do about this, then you will resent me for the rest of our lives and I can't bear the thought of you hating me," he said looking at his lap.

She moved her hands to his face and made him look at her. She felt her heart break into pieces, each piece crying her shame.

"No, I wouldn't regret it. I'll never regret loving you. Bite me. Share blood with me. I'll be yours and you will be mine, forever. You don't have to fight your nature anymore. I love you and I want this. If it's the only way to make you believe then I am ready," she told him and he shook his head.

"Yes, I want this. I want you to be mine for the rest of my life but not like this. Not when you're only doing this to make me believe you. Not when you're shaken by the attack-"

"You don't understand. I am not doing this only because I'm afraid that you will leave me. I want this. I want you. All my life, I have been following rules. I have been resisting anything I want because of fear. I almost lost you because I'm such a coward that I gave in without fighting. But not anymore…I want this…I want us…together. Just do it already," she said holding his hands.

"And what if you regret it in the morning?"

"I'm starting to think that you don't want this," she said, the insecurity visible in her tone.

"Are you kidding me? Do you know how hard it is for me to push back all the demonic thoughts of claiming you? There are voices in my head that laugh at me when I let you push me away from you. They keep telling me that you belong to me and only me," he stammers passionately.

"Then why fight it?"

"Because I love you. Because I want it to be real."

"But this is real," she exclaimed.

"You weren't saying that ten minutes ago," he said bitterly.

"Do you want me to go down on my knees and grovel for forgiveness because I…"

"Oh, God No!" he replied horrified.

"I told you that I didn't mean a single word of that. You were right. Everything about us scares me. I have never felt about someone like I feel about you and it overwhelms me. There are a lot of things that…that you should know about my…"

"If it's about your past then I don't care about it," he said bluntly.

"How can you love me so much?" she asked, teary-eyed.

He shrugged looking down. Telling her reasons would take hours.

"I know that I have hurt you today and I really wish I could take it all back but I can't so I'm going to make it up to you for the rest of my life. Can you find it in your heart to give me another chance?" she asked earnestly.

"Promise me that you won't shut me out again. Elena, I get it you're afraid. You have had bad experiences but so have I. You can't keep them holding you back forever." He said lacing his fingers with hers.

"Does that mean you forgive me?" she asked, her voice filled with hope.

He bit his lip and nodded. She encircled his waist and pressed her body against him. "I never wanted to hurt you yet it seems that is all I can do." She said between sobs.

"You must have had your reasons. That doesn't make what you did right. But I still understand," he said as desire gripped him. He shut his eyes and took her in his arms, pressing her soft, sun kissed-colored skin to his body.

"Do you mean it when you said that you want to share blood with me?" he whispered.

"I do," she said looking up.

"Do you know what that means Elena? We will be committed for life. There is no turning back after this. We will be each other's one and only forever. I would feel your emotions. I would be able to read your thoughts in the later stage. It would be as if we are one soul." He tried to explain to her the seriousness of the bond she was about to commit herself to.

"You say it like it's a bad thing," she said nuzzling his neck.

"Are you sure about this?"He asked, once again. He still couldn't believe she was the one to propose a blood bond. He was still a bit shocked that Elena was the one to suggest it.

"About you? Hundred percent," she said kissing his neck. He had to bite back a moan. "Do it," she offered again.

"Wait," he breathed. He couldn't think straight when she assaulted his neck like that.

"Not here," he said as he distanced them slightly.

She looked taken aback. "Do you still want to go with me to Mystic Falls?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Then go get your bags. I need to clean the mess over here," he ordered. After giving him a fierce kiss she zoomed back to her dorm.

He looked at the dead vampire wearily. "I'm seriously running out of places to hide dead bodies."

* * *

When he yawned again, Elena couldn't resist. "Let switch. I can drive the rest of the way," she insisted.

"It's okay, Baby Vamp. I can manage," he replied.

"But you're tired," she said, looking concerned.

"Of course, I am. I drove eight hours to see you," he replied and Elena instantly felt even more guilty.

"So…Are you sure about this?" he asked, trying to come back to the topic. He had to admit that he desperately wanted to make her his forever. The idea sounded so surreal up till she brought it up. Now he wanted that.

"If you're worried that I will change my mind tomorrow. Then don't. I'm hundred percent sure about this," she said in a determined tone.

He pressed his lips tightly. He wanted this. Almost too bad it hurt. He had been fighting his demon urges since the second he laid his eyes on her. His demon wanted to claim his mate and he knew he wouldn't be able to fight it for too long.

"Why? What changed your mind?" he asked focusing on the road.

"That woman attacked me and you saved me-"

"If you feel like you owe it to me that-" he interrupted.

"Will you let me finish?" she snapped at him.

His eyes narrowed slightly but he gestured her to continue.

"Listen. I was going to say that when that woman attacked me and you got hurt saving me. She was older than me and I knew that if she attacked you I wouldn't be able to do much. For a brief second, I thought I could lose you. And it made me realize that I… I cannot endure life without you. That I can't let fear rule my life. You are the love of my soul and life. I will do anything for you and I will go anywhere with you. I will love you and only you," she said touching his bicep.

He looked briefly at her before looking back at the road. The cold steel in his eyes began to soften. "So, we are doing this? For real," he asked. A hint of a sparkling smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"That's what I think," she said, determined. "But it's up to you. I am fine with whatever you decide," she said, vulnerability visible in her tone. She was being careful. She was trying to make amends for butchering him viciously just a few moments ago. Secretly, she admired how easily he forgave her. He must really love her. That made her even more confident about her decision.

"Of course, What could be more reasonable than making you mine forever," he said.

"Are you sure? We are both fiercely stubborn, especially you. We would fight all the time," she said cocking her head, smiling mischievously.

"Already having second thoughts?" he asked, as his brows rose.

"Of course not. I was just kidd-" she immediately alarmed.

"I know" he replied, as he laughed slightly. She loved the sound of his laugh. The joy and glee slid over her and warmed her heart.

"I promise you I won't argue with you. I won't ever fight with you," he said as he stole a glance of her.

"Slow down those promises Mister. We both know it's a milestone if we get through half a day without arguing," she said narrowing her eyes.

"In that case, I will let you win every argument," he replied as his one hand sneaked to hold hers while his other hand worked the steering wheel.

She smiled shyly looking at their laced fingers. She hooked her arm with his and laid her head on his shoulder. Peace was strumming through her and she felt like she was home. For a brief second, her family flashed before her eyes. They would never approve of this. They would never approve of a Ripper.

But Nick loves me. She reasoned. He would forgive her. He would understand. He would be mad but he would understand. He knew what love was. He would support her. Her family would understand. She didn't need to be scared. It's not like they would stake her or anything. Loving someone wasn't a crime.

"But loving the enemy is," Caroline's voice boomed in her ears.

Her family would have to understand. Damon was her love. They were both meant to be. Kol, Rebekah, Klaus they all got their true soul mates. Then why couldn't she? She was no different. They had no right over who she loves and who she doesn't.

She closed her eyes, sighing in contentment. "And what about Damon? He deserves to know the truth," a guilty part of her mind voiced. She needed to tell him the truth before the mating bond. She gulped. She was afraid that Damon will not take it well. What if he stopped loving her after that? What if he starts hating her after he finds out she is a Michelson. She wouldn't be able to bear that. Not after she opened up to him like that.

"But he deserves to know the truth," she thought as she peeked to look at him. He was focused on driving. But he seemed to relax. He seemed happy like he just got the world. She closed her eyes again, content. She knew her reality would shake him. And there was a possibility that he might start hating her after she tells him about her family. But she knew that she couldn't keep lying to him anymore. Once, they were bonded he will even have an access to her mind. She wouldn't be able to keep anything from him. Her feelings, her thoughts, and her fears. They would be one soul. So, that's it. She made the decision. She was going to tell him that she wasn't Elena Gilbert. She was Elena Michelson.

By the time, Elena and Damon reached his house, she was sleeping clinging to his arm. He halted his car in his reserved parking spot. He looked over his shoulder and smiled. A feeling of calmness and contentment came over Damon as he gazed at the sleeping girl next to him.

She had declared her feelings to him. She had offered the mating bond to him. And that was the biggest gift she could ever give him. He couldn't believe it. He didn't have to fight his nature anymore. He had the girl forever now. The girl that had been tormenting him for two years by coming in his dreams but never revealing her face. The girl that fought his charm every step. He had that girl now. Forever and ever. And no one will ever come between them. He would kill anyone who would look at her the wrong way, anyone who would want to tear them apart, anyone who would threaten his new found happiness.

He buried his nose in her hair and took a deep breath, breathing in her fragrance. He felt his fangs tearing through his gums. His demon was ready to take her and to claim her. But he held it back. "Not now" he murmured to himself. He would wait till morning.

His insecure side was still certain that she would change her mind in the morning. Like always.

"Baby Vamp," he said as he shook her slightly.

"Hmmm…What? Are we home?" she said, hoarsely as she tried to open her eyes.

"Yeah…wait here," he said as she got off his shoulder.

He zoomed to her side and opened her door. After opening the door for her, he took her hand and helped her out, and then he picked her up in his arms. He placed his lips to hers and kissed her before he carried her inside to his bedroom.

* * *

It was past midnight when he woke up. His eyes darted to the woman enveloped in his arms. Her eyes were tightly shut as she clung to him. His fingers grazed her beautiful face. Something stirred inside him. A deep primal need to claim her. He shook his head. What was wrong with him? He thought as he shook his head.

He tried to close his eyes and get back to sleep but her the smell of her blood was maddening him. His fingers dug into her skin as he tried to regain control again.

"Ouch," he heard Elena whisper. "What are you doing?" she said in a hoarse sleepy tone.

He shook his head. When he looked up his expressions shook her. His blazing eyes looked at her as if she was a prey. She backed a little. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He looked at her longingly. But then she started backing away, afraid of him. Why? Was she leaving him again? Didn't they just talk a few hours ago that she was ready to be his for the rest of her life?

"What? Backing off again," he said in a dead calm tone.

He felt like the beast inside him was pushing him to pounce her, demanding that he claim his mate. He wanted to put his teeth inside her, right there where her neck met her shoulder. That would make her his forever. He tried to fight it. He tried to fight off the desperate need that was making it hard for him to think clearly. He wanted to give her more time to think it through. At least, a day more.

But, it was impossible now. He knew he had reached his break point. Two years. She didn't know but he loved her madly from two years. He loved her even more after getting to know her. It was about time he lost control over himself.

"Last chance Elena," he murmured. "If you don't want this, run away. I can't control myself any longer," he hissed as he hid his face in his hands and dug his nails into his own skin.

Signs of recognition passed Elena's face."Oh God!" she breathed. "You're on the edge. You must calm yourself down," she said as she touched his arm.

He snarled immediately, vamping out. Her touch sizzled on his skin. She flinched, backing away.

His face immediately became normal. He was taken aback. Inexpressibly hurt and mortified that he just snarled at her. "What am I doing?" he said as he backed away from her. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, sickened by himself. "Please tell me I didn't hurt you," he pleaded, disgusted by himself.

"No! No! You didn't" Elena said as she held his palm. And just like that, he felt himself losing his control all over again.

His control was slipping away from him every second. A strange surge of power passed through him. He felt raw rage. He wanted to worship her, savor her, lose himself in her until they were linked forever by passion, love and blood bond. He backed away further. "Last chance…Go away," he choked. The rage inside him was breaking him from inside. It was taking everything inside of him to fight this primal need. The hotter his rage, the stronger the urges.

She looked at him. He was looking down controlling his demon urges. His hands fisted as he looked down as if ashamed that she could see him in his vulnerable state. Vampirism was a curse. Even love was painful for vampires. She knew how much it was taking for him to control himself.

She still had lots to tell him. She wished she had told him in the car. But now it was too late. He had reached his breaking point. Her eyes showered concern as she noticed his muscle tense further as he choked back a growl of frustration. He was in pain and he needed her. He needed her fully.

She wanted to bond with him but not before she had told him everything about her family. Family…that reminded her of her family. Her clan would kill her if they found about this. It was life or love. She chose love. She could do anything for this man.

The continuous fight against his primal, instinctual urges was causing him physical pain. And just when he thought the torture would never end. Elena crawled toward him. She straddled him and pulled him into a kiss. All thoughts ceased as sensations took over. She kissed him passionately so hungrily it took both of their breath away.

Snap.

He rolled her over, getting on top of her. "This needs to be done, Elena," he muttered as he seized her in the cage of his arms. "This is fate…We can't deny it," he said. All innocence from his face fled. His eyes darkened with desire and maddening lust. He was on fire. He ripped off her clothes and threw them to the side in shreds. Her nails clawed at his clothes. He could hear the material of his clothes rip, the feel of the fabric tear off from his body.

He was going to a mindless state as his muscles bulged. His mouth attacked hers with zeal and she replied with as much fervor. His hands traced downs her arms to her palms and interlocked their fingers, pinning them against the bed.

She drew tiny gasps and moans as he devoured her. His lips trailed down from her mouth to her neck. She let out a tiny moan when he sucked on a sensitive spot. "You're…you're mine to claim," he muttered in frenzy. "Yes," she moaned.

"You're mine—I demand all of you. Completely. By all right," he muttered as he closed his lips over her nipple. She let out a loud moan. He let go of her hands as his hands ran up and down her body. He then kneaded the soft mounds. Keeping his gaze locked on her pleasure filled face, he took the other nipple into his mouth and suckled. She writhed underneath him, panting.

His lips then trailed down to her navel. She flipped them over. She captured his lips in a searing kiss before she descended on his body kissing him all the way. Looking up, she saw his eyes were on her. Her lips trailed up again to his neck. Her hand cupping one side of his face. He dipped his head and kissed her palm while she did her sweet assault on his neck. Her lips moved up his jaw up to his ear and then back to his lips. His mouth covered hers hungrily; they withered when her tongue slid into his mouth. He pulled away from her, looked at her lips, swollen, not from the lip-gloss anymore, but from his kiss. He rolled on top of her.

His hand trailed from her lips down her body to her core. One of his fingers entered her. "So wet," he moaned. "For you," she added. She mewled like a cat as his another finger delved. When he slipped his fingers away, she whimpered undulating for them.

The mouthwatering scent of her blood was destroying him every second. He needed to be inside her now. He needed to search out any delicate pulse and bite her. He roughly gripped her hands and pinned them above her head. He covered her body with his. Elena whimpered when he rocked his hips between her thighs. She felt his length thick and throbbing against her thigh. She tilted her hips so it could surge home.

He held her hips down using his other hand. "You're mine, Elena," he said his eyes blazing.

"And you're mine," she replied, kissing his neck. He gazed at her intensely. When he entered her, she felt a million fireworks explode inside her head. He moved slowly, plunging inch by inch until he filled her. She let out a whimper as he slid in and out of her. He pressed her into the mattress as he thrust deeper inside her, reaching farther and farther in her each time. She withered underneath, relishing the feel of him inside her. She wrapped her legs around him arguing him to go deeper. His lips grazed over hers as he drove into her repeatedly.

She let out a loud moan as she reached her release while his look further away. She panted heavily as he pounded into her frantically earning him deep gasps. "I need…I need to…I need to do this." He murmured as he vamped out. This time she didn't get afraid. He bent down to her neck and plunged his fangs into her neck. She let out a whimper as he sucked blood into his mouth. His body shuddered against hers as pleasure coursed through him. Her blood tasted like sweetness and innocence. It dripped down his face as he drank from her. It tasted sweet, sweet like…honey. As he drank he became stronger, he felt complete, he felt as if this was what he waited all his life.

Elena waited for him to stop but he kept drinking from her. Elena felt a strange force growing within her, binding her to him. He pulled back slightly for a second. His lips were stained with her blood. He tore open his wrist and attached his bloodstained wrist on her mouth, ordering her to drink.

Elena had never drunk from a living source. He was her first. Everyone was right. Blood from bags indeed wasn't even close to blood from a living source. She felt as if every part of her was healing inside. Everywhere he touched, her nerves tingled, her body came alive, and her senses became aware. She could feel the power of mating bond. She could feel him inside her heart, her skin and her soul. She could feel the depth of the love and intensity of his desire for her.

One of his hands trailed up her chest to her fingers tangled in her hair as he angled her neck and reattached his lips to her neck, chewing her skin before he pulled her blood in his mouth. He felt electric lash warming ever fiber in his body, robbing him of the ability to think.

Pressure built, and she made soft, feminine cries against his wrist as he plunged deeper and deeper into her core. The sucking on her blood slowed down and turned into wet open-mouthed kisses. He removed his wrist from her mouth as he continued to thrust inside of her. With a loud groan and a final tremendous push that sent her sprawling, he came too. And then he lay down on top of her and continued to hold her close while he remained cradled inside her. The ritual was complete. They were bonded for eternity. Her body and her mind surrendered in complete trust to be loved and nourished by him for the rest of her life. Now she belonged to him completely! He sighed contentedly. She brushed a strand of his hair from his bloodstained sweaty face. She lovingly grazed his face with her fingers. He belonged to her now. She thought. And she intended to keep him for the rest of her life.

* * *

Damon waited for her to open her eyes. She had been really tired after their coupling last night. He could feel her emotions now. He tried to reach out for her mind, curiously. The mating bond would allow him to do that. He instantly felt pain." Nope, Not yet" he muttered gravely. Their bond was too fresh. It needed time for her soul to completely blend with his. But at least now he could feel her emotions. That would probably be a handy tool the next time she goes on her psychotic emotional breakdowns.

He knew she was awake before she even opened her eyes. "Hey," he said when her eyes fluttered open. "Hi," she breathed. They looked at each other, shy and nervous. "I am sorry for attacking you last night," he apologized. "Don't be," she replied immediately. "It had to happen. It was meant to be," she said as she caressed his temple.

An insecure part of him had doubted that she would be regretting it in the morning but her emotions showed no remorse. She was happy.

"I'm not backing off," she said touching his cheek. "I love you and I'm going to stay with you forever and no force in this world can change that. I would do anything for you and I promise not to go out of your sight for the rest of eternity, I give you my word on that," she added earnestly.

"I love you too," he said, playing with her hair.

"So you don't need to be insecure," she chimed further.

"I am not insecure," he said looking up.

"I can sense your emotions too now," she reminded him.

"Fuck," he cursed. "It's a two-way connection, I forgot," he added.

She let out a giggle arching her neck. It was still stained with blood. A sudden thought came to his mind. "Baby Vamp! You didn't throw up my blood last night. Did you?" he said

remembering that she couldn't drink blood from a living source.

She looked confused. "I don't know what you think but that's how the bond works. You drink my blood…I drink yours…" she said.

"No! Baby Vamp, didn't you tell me that you can't drink from a living source?" he said. "-But you didn't throw up my blood. Maybe this will solve your blood drinking issues," he said getting up excited.

"I can't drink from a source that is feeling fear. You weren't feeling fear, you were feeling pleasure. Maybe that's why I could drink from you," she said.

He offered her his hand. She took it, and he helped her out of bed. "But still there is the possibility that our bond did solve your blood intake issues. We should check if you can feed on humans now," he said.

She smiled at his concern for her. He was perfect. She thought as she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. The kiss lasted for some time. He slowly pulled back and then put his arms around her as they kissed several more times. Though her heart was full of love for him her nose reacted differently. Her dry blood on his body reeked and the morning breath didn't help either.

She pushed him away slightly. "Baby! I love you but you smell like a goat right now."

His eyes narrowed.

"Darling, you don't smell like roses either," he chimed back, earning himself a glare.

"Let's take shower together," he suggested, whispering.

She nodded, shyly. Smile stretching on his face, he gripped her waist and zoomed them inside the washroom. They showered together, gently soaping each other and washing each other's hair. They took their time enjoying each other's bodies. It proved so exciting and passionate that when they came out they attacked each other on sheets without drying off.

During breakfast, they talked, more like argued and made jokes. They were always happy and positive whenever they were around each other and she noticed that. He was all about life. He knew how to live. He knew how to enjoy every moment and she adored that about him. She admired his strength, optimism and his thirst to live life to the fullest. In a way, she idolized him and wanted to be like him. Caring, sharp, optimistic and full of life.

She gazed steadily at him. Her eyes shone with a bright fervor of love for him as he talked about his plans for his clans. Every now and then he would touch her face lovingly or kiss her knuckles.

After breakfast, he summoned a maid girl that they probably kept to feed on. He compelled her to not feel fear. "You can't compel emotions away, Damon," Elena said as she rolled her eyes.

"Of course, I can." He said stubbornly as he tore open the girl's wrist and offered it to Elena. "I don't think it's going to work," she said shaking her head.

"But let's give it a shot," he insisted.

"Drink," he ordered.

She looked at him once before nodding. She attached her lips to the girl's wrist and pulled blood in her mouth. It didn't taste like Damon's blood at all. It had that dry stench and metallic taste that made her want to puke on the spot. She pushed the girl's wrist away from her mouth and zoomed to the washroom. She vomited out the blood that she just consumed. He was beside her in an instant, a look of worry in his eyes.

But, she drank from his last night. Damon thought. It didn't make sense. He compelled the girl not to feel fear. Why wasn't it working? What hurt the most was that he could actually feel the burning agony she was feeling right now. He felt guilty for putting her in pain.

She turned to him after cleaning her face, smiling weakly.

"I am sorry," he apologized earnestly. "I thought it would wo-"

She cupped his face and cut him with placing a kiss on the tip of his nose. "It's okay. You are just trying to help" she murmured. When he leaned in for a kiss she placed her palm on his mouth. "Firstly, I need to brush my teeth I just vomited and secondly I don't know but this kiss will eventually end up in our fourth round this morning. We are already really late for practice. Let's do this after we come back," she reasoned and he smiled against her palm. Stefan had called before breakfast and demanded his presence on the practice ground. Damon tried to excuse his way out but Elena insisted they go since she still needed to learn to defend herself properly. He had to give in when she reasoned like that.

With a frustrated groan, he nodded. "Okay." Besides he needed to talk to Rick about Elena's blood in take problem and inform him of his newly mated status.

* * *

Everyone knew immediately that they had done the ritual when they showed up. "Admit it?" Bonnie said, smirking.

"What?" Damon questioned, brows raised.

"You guy finially did it, the ritual?" she said beaming.

He looked at Elena nervously. Should they tell everyone?

"Yes, we did," Elena answered holding his arm.

"Congratulations you two," she beamed as she hugged them both.

"Wait-you didn't force her into…" Bonnie pulled back suddenly horrified.

"No! No! He didn't. I wanted it. I asked for it," Elena said hurriedly.

"Weird... Because we actually thought you didn't like him much," Enzo said as he stepped toward them.

"You're right. I don't," Elena said smirking.

"What?" Damon said looking at her. "But you lov-"

"Of course, I love you, so much. I just don't like you," she chimed.

He narrowed his eyes playfully. "I assure you these feelings are mutual," he replied. "But why don't you? I am a fairly likable person," he said looking at her.

"Oh, please. It's a wonder I can tolerate you," Elena replied.

"What's the difference? Like, Love it's the same," Bonnie said.

"It's not the same," Enzo said.

"What's the difference?" she asked looking at Enzo.

"Spit or Swallow," Damon replied, lewdly. "And she swallows," he whispered, but she elbowed him, making a furious face.

"You're disgusting," Bonnie said making a face.

"I know," Damon replied smugly and Enzo chuckled. "Good one," he complimented.

"Are you sure you can live with this jerk for the rest of your eternity?" Bonnie asked Elena sympathetically.

Elena looked at Damon with a small smile on her face. "He is the only man I would want to spend the rest of my eternity with," She said determinedly.

"Awww sweet. This calls for a celebration. Our chief got hitched after 170 years." Bonnie said cheerfully. "And before you two say anything, yes, it is indeed like a marriage," she added before she went off gleefully to tell everyone else.

"You still wanna stay here," he asked looking at her taken aback expressions.

"Yes…It's okay. I kinda saw that coming," she said trying to regain her composure.

"So Ripper Queen back on the practice ground," Stefan said as he appeared out of nowhere.

Elena's eyes bulge out at the new title. "Uhh…"

"You didn't tell me you were back," Damon said frowning at his brother.

"I came back just in the morning," he said shrugging. "I was at Lexi's" he added.

He nodded. "So, Is it true?" he asked.

Damon nodded, smirking. "Yes. She couldn't resist my charm anymore," He replied smugly.

She nudged him slightly in his ribs again. "Easy baby. Save it for the practice," he chimed.

"So you're one of us now, Elena?" Stefan asked, for the first time Elena felt his smile was genuine. He had been hostile toward her from the start.

She nodded. It hit her like a rush. She was one of the Rippers now. She was their clan's chief official mate. The Ripper Queen. Oh, God. She felt him give her hand a squeeze. She let out a wide smile.

Stefan opened his arms and gestured her for a hug. "Welcome to the family," he murmured. She let go of her mate's arm and walked hesitantly toward her mate's brother. As Damon's brother, Stefan was important too. Even though he had been a jerk to her he seemed honest this time. She gave him a friendly hug before she pulled back.

* * *

"Thank you," she said as she went back to stand beside her mate. Original's Princess or the Ripper's queen. Her life was a mess.

"Whatever you do, just try to keep out of his reach," Damon taught her. "You will be dead the minute he catches you. So focus on tiring him out before attacking his weak point which is—"

"Spine or the heart," Elena completed.

"Exactly," he said. "Now, here is your stake. Attack!" he murmured.

"Okay. You ready?" she asked.

"Huh!" he scoffed. "I was born ready."

"I am so gonna school your smug ass," she said as she zoomed to his back.

"I would like to see you try," he replied, smugly reaching out to take her stake from her. She dodged him and vamp sped away from his reach.

"It's going to be so embarrassing for you when you get beaten by a five-year-old vampire who also happens to be a girl," she said as she tried to attack him but he ducked.

"Beat me? HAHA. Right! Baby Vamp, I have never beaten before. Not even Rick could tackle me down and he is a thousand years old," he replied.

"Well! Glad to be the first," she hissed at his smugness and attacked him again. He let out a groan. Why couldn't she follow instructions? He just told her not to attack first. He easily gripped her arm and twisted her around, pinning her back to his chest.

"Less Trash talk, more practice," he said. She nudged him forcefully, pushing him away.

"Just wait. I will make you squeal like the Pillsbury Doughboy," she hissed as she attempted to stake him using a fake stake, Of course. He easily blocked her attack and snatched her stake before locking her in his arms again.

"And later I will make you scream until you have no voice," he said huskily in her ear.

"Is this a training session or your version of foreplay?" Stefan interrupted them.

Embarrassed, she pulled away while he looked annoyed. "Focus on the practice," Stefan ordered.

In half an hour, Elena was heavily frustrated with her slow progress. At least now it took him three minutes before he captured her. Damon mocked her techniques. "I would say you punch like a little girl but that would be against my pro women nature," he said blocking her punch easily.

She threw another punch and he blocked again. "Baby vamp! Don't punch with flats of fingers. You will only break your hand. Punch with knuckles," he instructed again, groaning. She tried again but not the way he taught her. "Do you even listen to a word I say?" he said. "Would you give me a minute?" she said as she launched a punch. "I don't think the attacker would consider your requests," he said signaling her to continue.

When he was in his chief mood, he completely forgot everything else. He would always stay focused. Maybe, that's why he was such a good leader. She thought as she continued complying to his orders.

After the tiring training session, they went to Alaric's house where he and the rest of his clan had thrown them a party for them. Everyone wanted to meet the new Ripper Queen.

His clan was his family and as his mate, they were now Elena's family too. She wasn't regretting her decision but she was afraid of the consequences when they would all find out about her.

Everyone greeted her kindly and with great respect. She met everyone with a warm smile. Damon was on her side the whole time introducing her to everyone as his mate. Soon, she blended with them.

Damon watched her as she mingled with his clan and became busy gossiping with everyone. A faint crimson redness appeared on her cheek as she caught him looking at her. She beamed at him.

After the dinner, when everyone left. Alaric guided them to his study. "The thing is she could drink from me but she can't feed on a human. Even though I compelled the girl to not feel fear…"

"You can't compel feelings away," Alaric said.

"Of course I can," Damon said stubbornly.

Elena shook her head at his stubbornness. "But she could drink from me," Damon pointed out.

"Technically you're dead so you don't actually count as a living source," Alaric replied.

"It's still not normal," Damon said annoyed. "Why can't she feed like every normal vampire?" Damon added.

Alaric looked at Elena with piercing eyes. She looked away nervously locking her fingers with Damon's.

"Baby Relax," he immediately murmured to her.

Alaric walked up to her and cupped her face as if recognizing something. "You never drank blood from any living source other than Damon?" he inquired.

She shook her head, nervously.

"Damon, do you remember a spell I told you about that was used by ancient vampires so they wouldn't bring harm to humans," Alaric said letting go of her face. Damon nodded. "Well I have a theory," Rick said looking gravely at him.

"Don't be afraid," he said gently as she sat on the chair. Last night, Alaric had suggested that a group of Bennett witches examine her. He was convinced that someone had cast a spell on Elena disabling her on feeding from the vein.

She tried to talk Damon out of it. But he convinced her that those witches would never harm a single hair of her head as long as he was around and they really needed to figure out the solution to her problem because it was unnatural for a vampire to not feed from a vein.

"I don't have problem feeding on blood bags," she whined but he ignored her whining. "They taste disgusting and they won't give you the proper nutrients your body requires," he said as he tore his wrist and offered her. She attached her lips to his wrist and drank from him. Peace, calm and love coursed through her. The rich taste of his blood was enticing and it felt heavenly. She pulled away after a while. She didn't want to weaken him. He had offered twice since last night.

"Do you want to-" she asked as she pushed her hair off her shoulder revealing the side of her neck. A rush of her intoxicating scent swept him up, like a drug, but he shook his head. "Later," he murmured touching her cheek.

Just then Bonnie and her three other warlocks and witches through the door. "Just a minute," Damon said as he leaned close and captured her lips in a hungry, bruising kiss until she was mewing and moaning in a deliciously delirious state.

"Seriously guys," Bonnie interrupted them.

Ever since they have blended into one soul they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Their hunger for each other reached new levels. It was hard for them to consider that they would be parting tomorrow again.

He pulled back smirking and stood by her side. Alaric followed the witches. "Elena! Are you sure you don't have any witch in your family?" he asked, once again.

Elena pondered on it. As far as she remembered there was no witch in the Original clan. Her clan hated witches. Klaus said they were an abomination and should be wiped off the surface of the planet.

"She is from a human family. Of course, she doesn't have any witch," Damon replied on her behalf sensing her confusion.

"Very well," Alaric said as he motioned the witches to start.

"Bonnie! This will be safe right?" Damon demanded. He would never risk putting her in danger even slightly. The very thought drove him mad.

The witches encircled Elena and chanted various spells. Elena looked nervously at Damon. "Don't worry. I'm here," he mouthed. One of the witches cupped one side of her cheek and closed her eyes. "Purest soul," she muttered. She opened her eyes and held her chin before she backed away a few steps. "Magic," she muttered.

"What?" Alaric asked, confused.

"There is magic in her blood"

"Nonsense. She is from a human family," Damon spat.

"She was conceived by magic," The witch repeated.

"Her mother is a human and I have met her many times," Damon replied.

"Magic doesn't lie, Damon," Bonnie said. "Her blood is one of the strongest magical blood I have encountered. Her kind of blood is used by witches to perform most powerful spells," she explained. "Like Petrova blood," Alaric asked.

"What are they talking about Damon?" Elena said uneasily.

"Bullshit. They are talking crap, Love," he said as he held her hand, concerned before he turned back at the witches. "This is not why I called you all here," Damon hissed at them. "My mate can't feed like a normal vampire. I want a solution for that. I don't want to listen to all the legend crap," he hissed at them holding her hand tightly.

"It's not a coincidence, chief. Maybe she is from the Petrova clan," the witch argued.

"Originals killed them all a century ago. We saw it ourselves how their village was burnt to the ground. This girl is my mate. Her name is Elena Gilbert and she is the daughter of Jenna and John Gilbert. Jenna is still very human and she has no connection to vampires other than her daughter and me," Damon said. "Case closed," he said stubbornly.

The witches held their head down. Bonnie bit her lip. "Relax, Damon."

He let out a deep breath. "This is a waste of time," he muttered.

"We will figure something out," Bonnie said.

"Just leave all of you," he ordered.

Alaric looked at them thoughtfully before he nodded his agreement. "I'm really sorry, Baby," he muttered to Elena once they were all out. "Hey! Hey! It's okay," she said cupping his face. He closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her. "Try to relax," she added. "I can't. I ask them to do one thing and they start their usual legend crap," he said angrily.

She bent her head to rest her lips against his, savoring in the warmth of his mouth against hers. "Does this help?" she said against his mouth. He smirked against her mouth. "Maybe."

She pushed him against the wall; she nibbled his neck, his earlobe, and then pressed her lips against his. "How about now?" she asked, her hands on his chest pressing him against the wall.

"Hmm…A bit," he moaned, smirking lazily.

Her eyes lowered to her hands, and a devilish smile pulled at the corner of her swollen lips. Then, with a yank, she tore open his shirt. He had to fist his hand to restrain himself from grabbing her as she gazed at his naked chest with blatant pleasure. Her fingers grazed over his stomach and his chest. She pushed off his shirt from his shoulders to touch more of him as she leaned in to capture his lips. "I love you," she said as she nipped at his lips. He smiled in her mouth as his lips moved with hers. She pulled away and smirked when he nipped again. Her gaze lowered to his naked torso. The longing look on her face made it next to impossible for him not to undress and take her right there. Heaven help him. He wanted her. Right there. Her lips attached to his neck and sucked on a soft spot.

"What about now?" she whispered seductively.

She yelped when he flipped them pinning her against the wall. "Perfect," Pressing himself to her, he cupped her face and kissed with carnal hunger. With a sigh she wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kiss as she wantonly rubbed herself against him. Getting the cue, he picked her up in his arms and walked her back to bedroom never breaking the kiss. In the bedroom, he broke the kiss long enough to pull her shirt off her. A frenzy took them, they continued to nip at each other as they removed rest of each other's clothes.

After a lengthy session of their love making, they remained locked in each other's arm completely spent and satisfied.

"How about now?" she asked panting.

"Never been better," he replied smirking.

* * *

"Damon?" Alaric stopped him when he was just about to jump in his car to pick his mate from college after a long tiring week and bring her back home. He stopped. "Rick! If it's about Elena's relation to Petrova clan. I have already given you my opinions about that. Those witches just want to start their legend crap. Elena has nothing to do with Originals or Petrova clans or anyone from our world," he started before Rick could talk.

"Will you listen to me?" Rick said. Damon huffed but rose his brows gesturing him to continue. "The witches are convinced that Elena comes from the Petrova bloodline."

"Klaus fucking Mikelson killed them all last century. Everyone knows that. You and I saw it with our very own eyes. There was not a single one of them speared." Damon reminded him.

Petrova clan had magical blood. Witches used their blood as a catalyst to perform a very powerful spell. After the vampire council forgave Stefan for using Rebekah against Klaus. He went into a frenzy and swore to destroy them and everyone else who was in alliance with Rippers. He had killed a witch clan that very recently joined the Rippers and was planning to attack the Bennett witches.

In vengeance, Bennett's made a decision to finish the Originals once and for all. But they needed to anchor magical blood to perform the spell and make Originals mortal again. Petrova clan agreed to help them. Somehow, Klaus got a whiff of their plans and before Damon and Alaric could do anything, Klaus went down to the village of Petrova clan and burned it to the ground. Not spearing a single one of was one of the most terrible things Damon had seen in his life. And it made him even more bitter toward Originals. They were selfish and ruthless. Bennett's were only secure because of the protection from Rippers. However, they officially allied with Rippers years later.

There was a rumor though, that Klaus had found a Petrova woman but his sources on their side confirmed that it was a lie.

"She is a young vampire. Recently turned. And she has a human family. She hardly knows anything about our world."

"The witches say she was conceived using magic," Rick insisted.

"Her mother is a human," Damon said rolling his eyes. "They are a normal human family. Elena is the only vampire and she was turned five years ago."

"Do me a favor. Invite her mother over for dinner. We need to know their family history. The witches can't be wrong. She must be somehow connected to Petrova clan. Because if that's the case then we need to hide her immediately before the Originals find out about her."

A panicked look covered Damon's face as Alaric explained the situation. All the attacks on Elena flashed before his eyes. "Or maybe, they already know," he said gravely. He had to keep her safe and he knew just how.

* * *

"Elena wasn't at Jenna's home or her dorm either," Elijah informed Klaus over the phone. "Her friends told me she spends every weekend with her boyfriend," he added.

Klaus gritted his teeth. "And what about her boyfriend? Did you find anything about him?" he demanded.

"I thought you ordered Trevor onto his case?" Elijah asked.

"Yes, I did. I ordered him to follow Elena around and report to both of us. So far no trace of her boyfriend. Maybe, he lives somewhere else," Klaus answered.

"What was his name again?" Klaus added, angrily.

"I don't remember," Elijah answered after a while.

"How can you not remember if you've met that fuckhead,"

"Excuse me. At that time I was fuming over the fact that my future mate was in another man's arms I didn't quite pay attention to his intro. And besides, he isn't the main problem. He is just a human. We will just compel him to break up with Elena," Elijah answered.

"Elijah, You have one month. If you are incapable of wooing one girl than I am putting someone else on this. Honey deserves the best. There are countless men who would die for this kind of opportunity. I am fucking giving you a chance to rule with me,"

"Why can't you just compel her to fall in love with me?" Elijah said frustrated.

"No! No! The spell won't work properly like that. According to the Bennett's Grimoire, she can only conceive if she remains pure that is if she never drinks a single of drop of blood that is forced out of human and she can conceive only after the mating bond—I am guessing since mating bond is done out of love, therefore, she has to be in love with you. This is not necessarily required but we shouldn't take any chances. After Isobel, Honey is the last Petrova descendent. She is our last chance," he muttered fast.

"Besides she is my sister. She is doing so much for us, so much to save our clan. I owe it to her to give her best in return," he added.

"Trevor is calling I will get to you back in a minute," Elijah said.

He switched lines and answered Trevor's call. "Her boyfriend just picked her up from the campus. They are going somewhere. You know this guy seems awfully familiar."

"Just follow them and keep me updated," Elijah ordered.

* * *

After a passionate session of lovemaking, Damon cuddled up with Elena. She smiled, stroking his hair as he laid his head on her chest.

"Did you tell Jenna about us?"

"What about us?" she asked, confused.

"That we are…That we are together now…for real." He replied.

"Oh…umm…No," she said. She had decided that she would tell him about her family today. She couldn't lie to him anymore. It was wrong to hide things from him.

"When will you tell her about us? She is your mother Elena. She deserves to know," he said slightly insecure that she wasn't telling her only close relative about her new status as his mate.

A slight panic took over Elena as she thought of telling Jenna.

"Are you afraid she won't approve it?" he asked, grimly. "Because there is nothing she can do about this. We are bonded for life now," he said quickly.

"No. No. It's not that. It's just that—"

"—I get it she is your mum and, of course, you're nervous. Do you want me to go with you when you tell her?" he asked, understandingly.

"I would like that," Elena replied, smiling. Somehow his presence soothed her. "Rick wanted to invite your mom for dinner," he added.

"Here," she said uneasily.

"I know this place is filled with vampires but I promise you, your mum would be safe here." He said earnestly. "I think we should invite your brothers too. Umm…Jeremy and your cousin Nick. They would want to know about this," he added looking up at her.

A slight panic filled her stomach but she nodded. "There…There is something I need to tell you," she stammered.

"Can that thought wait? I need to tell you something else first," he said thinking about his sketches and his dreams about her. He really wanted to share it with her.

"Damon—but this is important."

"What I want to say is important too," he said as he got up. He zoomed to his closet and handed her nightgown. "Get dressed. I need to show you something," he murmured.

She bit her lip and nodded. She wanted to savor his loving gaze before she dropped the bomb on him.

* * *

 _One hour ago_

Trevor could not believe his eyes. Honey, The Original's unofficial princess entered the forbidden territory. This was Rebekah and Stefan all over again. Klaus is not going to like this. Trevor thought.

But, what if Elena was in trouble. He had to get her out of there. And Klaus did say he had to keep an eye on her. He was ordered by Klaus, his creator to follow her. He didn't want to enter Ripper's territory but the sire bond forced him to comply his creator's order at all cost.

Slowly, very discreetly he followed them. The car stopped near a big mansion. The ripper vamp sped out of his door to her and held it open for her. He picked her up in his arms, bridal style, attaching his lips to their Original princess, his master's sisters. His eyes widened further when Elena clung to the Ripper and kissed him back with as much zeal.

His eyes bulged out even more so then was possible, when he felt a push as he stared at the girl. A sort of barrier stopping him from looking at her. He knew what it was. A vampire's claim. She was already claimed. His Original Princess had been claimed by the Ripper chief. He felt his breath becoming ragged. No! This wasn't good. He stayed still hidden in the bushes, making no noise. The ripper chief carried Elena inside the house.

Once, the Ripper chief was out of earshot he took a few steps back. He had to inform this to Klaus right about fucking now. Just then a tight grip on his arm pulled him.

"Hello," Stefan Salvatore said before breaking his neck.

* * *

He held her hand and walked her into a huge room. It looked like some sort of art room. There were a lot of framed portraits adorned on the wall and some of them incomplete waiting for attention on the canvas stand. Art pencils were laying next to the palette.

The walls were filled with different beautiful sketches. Full moon, a beautiful scenery or a beautiful scene of sunrise but what caught her attention was numerous sketches of her, adorned to the wall. Some of them were recently drawn. A sketch of her in the dress she wore when she went to the ball with him almost two months ago. Her eyes moved to another sketch where she was sitting on her dorm bed and drinking from a glass.

"Wow," she breathed. "They are beautiful," she said looking around wide-eyed.

"You sketched me," she said incredulously.

"Countless times," he admitted. "I loved drawing you" he added.

"But you said that you only sketched me once," she said.

"I lied. I have been doing that…for last two years" he admitted.

Her eyes widened. "What?" she asked, disbelievingly.

She couldn't help but notice that most of the sketches were of her eyes. "I have been seeing you in my dreams for the past two years," he said drawing her attention back to him.

"Bonnie said that it was the pull of the blood," he added hurriedly before she would freak out. "That... I use to have visions about you because your blood was calling for me. You were my fate." He said softly.

She walked up to a sketch and grazed it with her fingers. It looked like he worked really hard on them. She turned around only to come face to face to the man who looked like he worshipped her.

"I never saw your complete face though. Only your hair or your eyes or your lips" he added. "On the night when I first saw you under the clock tower, I recognized your lips. I had drawn them a million times, How could I not?" he said touching her lips with his thumb.

"Is that why you let me explain myself to you? Because of your visions of me" Elena asked.

He nodded. "I wanted to know why I kept seeing you in my dreams. But then I started to feel a strange maddening pull toward you" he continued. "and then we fought and argued and talked. I realized that you were it for me. My one and only. I wanted to tell you this because I don't any secrets between us" he completed.

A smile graced her face. She looked around, overwhelmed with different emotions. Passion, for the man who loved her so madly. Happiness, that she found him. And Fear, she didn't want to lose him.

She was never good with words. She cupped his face and pulled him into an innocent kiss. "It's beautiful," she murmured looking around again. "A little creepy that you saw me in your dreams but otherwise I love it all," she added smiling ear to ear.

"Can you draw me now?" she asked, beaming. "I really wanna see how you do it"

"Of course, I can," he said smiling back. "Sit still over there on that stool," he said. She turned around to sit but then stopped. He just said he didn't want any secrets between them. She needed to tell him too about who she was. "Damon—There is something I need to tell you too," she said touching his arm.

He sensed fear in her emotions. He was instantly alarmed.

"what's wrong?" he demanded.

Just then a loud crash came from downstairs.

"DAMON!" he heard Stefan's voice. "We have an ORIGINAL over here" he added.

* * *

 _Beta Credits to Alta Beron._

 _I hope you enjoyed your read. I have retired from fanfiction but I'll love your comment. Do review!_

 _For rereader, thank you for reading again. I would love to know if you're enjoying just like the first time? Do comment?_

 _I'll update more beta'd chapters soon._

 _Love,_

 _May_


	16. And the cold war begins!

**Chapter 15**

* * *

 **This chapter is dedicated to Zues! Thank you for your lovely pms! I added your request in this chapter at first but I removed it and added it next since it fitted more there. Sorry about that! But you will get what you wanted in next chapter!**

 **Anyway! Thank you all for your lovely reviews and pms. They make me keep writing more.**

* * *

Elena felt her feet stuck to the ground. Damon instantly became stiff. "Original?" he said, eyes widening. He turned around and sprinted downstairs. Elena snapped out of her trance and followed him. She stopped at the end of the staircase. Her eyes bulged out at the scene before her.

Her eyes darted to her mate. He was fuming. She knew it without accessing his emotions. It was pretty obvious on his face. Crossing his arms on his chest, he stepped forward. Elena's eyes moved toward the man kneeling on floor. His arms were held back by Stefan and Enzo. Some other Ripper vampires circled them.

The man kneeling looked up. She inhaled sharply, her breath caught in her throat.

"Well! Well! Well! If it isn't Trevor Wood" Damon chimed, smirking. "How very nice of you to visit!" he added stepping closer.

Elena gulped as Trevor's eyes darted toward her. She took a step back, scared. Begging him with her eyes not to sell her out. Trevor Wood was her brother's most trusted man. He and his mate Rose had served Klaus for the past century. They were awfully dedicated to Klaus and would lay their life for him.

"I tried asking him nicely about his agenda to come to our territory but he has been very quiet" Stefan said venomously.

"Where did you find him?" Damon demanded, back in his chief tone. "Outside the house almost an hour ago" Stefan replied. "and you were alone with him?" Damon asked, eyes widening.

"I called back up once I snapped his neck" Stefan answered rolling his eyes at his brother's concern. "Now the more pressing question is; What was Mr. Woods doing here?" he added, twisting Trevor's hand painfully behind his back.

Damon's eyes directed toward the man kneeling before him. His jaw clenched and there was raw hatred in his eyes for the Original vampire.

"Why are you here?" Damon demanded.

"We tried asking him but Mr. Woods is in no mood of civil conversation" Enzo hissed.

"Then I guess we will have to change our approach" Damon spat. "Stefan" he cocked his head.

There was a loud crack and Trevor's painful cries followed. Stefan had broken Trevor's arm. Elena snapped out of her stupor and winced, listening to Trevor's painful cries. "WHY ARE YOU HERE? WHAT DID THAT DICK PUT YOU UP TO, Now?" Enzo hissed.

Trevor's lips were sealed. His eyes stayed on a horror-struck Elena. She took a step back, still standing at the bottom of stairs. She had no idea what to do. "I came here as fast as I could" Bonnie voice echoed as she entered the house. "Where is the…ohh…" she stopped glaring at the vampire.

"It's full moon night, No?" Damon asked with an evil glint on his face. He smirked and moved toward Trevor. "Now I am going to ask you one more time nicely before I throw you to the wolves…literally" he said. "Trevor Wood! What evil agenda has that worthless lowlife fucking Michelson put you up to now?" he asked, seriously. Elena winced at how Damon addressed her family.

Just then Trevor started shouting as if he was on fire. Elena's eyes widened in fear. "Make it stop" Trevor shouted "Please make it stop" he pleaded. Elena didn't know what he was talking about. Her eyes directed to Bonnie and she shivered in fear as she realized what was happening. Bonnie was mumbling something…some sort of spell under breath to torture the information out of Trevor. Elena already knew why Trevor was here. Obviously because of her.

"Why are you here?" Damon demanded, his nostril flaring.

"No" Trevor shook his head furiously. He was devoted to Klaus. He would never betray the Original family. He couldn't even if he wanted to. The sire bond outweighed every type of fear. He had to protect his creator's family at all cost.

Trevor's furious eyes darted back to Elena who was almost shaking with fear. Damon's eyes followed Trevor's stare and landed on his mate standing behind him. He stood in front of her, blocking Trevor's view, raising his brows. He felt a sudden impulse of mad anger at the man's guts to look at his mate in front of him like that as if he wanted to kill her. How dare he?

Something clicked. All the attacks on Elena, witches assertion about Elena's connection to Petrova clan and now Trevor. The Originals definitely knew about Elena. Rick was right. Damon couldn't convey how much that thought horrified him. There was anger in him unlike anything he'd ever experienced. The world had gone dark, cold as the storm of rage consuming him. If Originals thought they could snatch one thing from him that mattered the most then they were very terribly mistaken. Damon had only one thought and that was to protect her. At all cost, he must protect her. Despite the steel exterior he showed to the world the very thought that Originals wanted something with Elena terrified him.

"Damon? This fuckface doesn't look like he is going to cooperate" Stefan hissed.

"Then we should do what we always do in this situation. Kill him." Damon stated nonchalantly.

"Damon! I think we are over reacting. Maybe he doesn't have any agenda. Maybe he just accidently crossed the border" Elena interrupted them.

Stefan eyes bulged out in amusement. "And who asked for your opinion?"

"Stefan" Damon warned. "Don't talk to Elena like that"

"Kitten, Originals don't do accidents. They don't even breathe without a hidden agenda" he said turning toward his naïve mate, his eyes immediately softening at the sight of her. He didn't want to worry her with his latest theory.

"Throw him to our wolves" Damon ordered. "Literally" he added as he looked back at Trevor, his eyes hardening again.

"Noo! Please" Trevor said, eyes widening.

"Damon! You don't need to do that. Just let him off with a warning" Elena said. She couldn't just let Trevor die. She knew the man personally.

"Warning" Enzo scoffed. Obviously the girl had no idea what she was talking about.

Damon walked toward his frightened mate. Her emotions were all over the place. Fear, desperateness and slight anger. "Baby Vamp, I know your heart is in the right place and you're not used to these things but this is not how things work over here. They cross the border they die. Now, let's get you back to our room. You don't need to stress your pretty little head over this" he said softly as he tried to turn her around.

"No! No, Damon. This is wrong. Please, let him go" she pleaded.

"Elena, The treaty says…" Stefan tried to argue.

"It could be a mistake, Stefan" Elena cut him off.

"I caught him outside our house. There is no way he accidently came this far. Originals don't come here with pure intentions. And besides the treaty allow us to kill them if they cross the border. Letting him go would just make people question our power and I won't ever allow that to happen" Stefan replied, strictly.

"Stefan! I have got this. And secondly, mind the tone" Damon warned him.

"Elena, Baby. Let's go back to our room. This shit isn't worth our time" he said as he held her wrist. He could understand what she was feeling. Obviously, she wasn't use to how things worked at Mystic Falls. This was all new to her. Her fear was logical. He could only imagine her reaction if she found out that Originals wanted something from her.

She yanked her wrist away harshly. "No! This is wrong. You have to let him go." She demanded.

"Elena, Stop it." He said taking a deep breath.

"Please, Hon…Elena." Trevor spoke.

"How fucking dare you talk to my mate?" he glared at the filth of a man.

"Mate…" Trevor breathed, petrified. "What have you done?" he spoke to Elena.

"What…?" Enzo said looking at Trevor.

"Does he know you?" Stefan asked looking at Elena.

"Of course, he doesn't" Damon replied without looking at Elena. Elena looked down not quite matching Stefan's glare.

"Damon, please don't do this" Elena said holding his knuckles.

"Elena! It's his decision. He is the chief. No one is allowed to question his decisions" Bonnie said, frowning at her consistency.

"Of course, I can" she said looking at Bonnie before moving her eyes back to him. "You can't do this" she said looking at him and he almost chuckled at the way she ordered him. If it was anyone else except her he would have probably been pissed but her tone only amused him. That didn't make what she was doing right though, even though he adored her. He would have to have "the talk" with her. Yes, he loved her but to the point of complete insanity but that didn't give her privilege to question his decisions. She didn't understand how clan politics worked. They couldn't just let an Original go after he stepped in their territory. That wasn't how things worked. Who knew how much information Trevor had gathered till now. Who knew what he was after. No, Trevor had to die. It was for their own safety.

"What are you waiting for? An invitation. Take him to Mason and give him my warmest regards along with my gift. It's been awhile I gave them a chew doll." Damon added.

"Damon, No" Elena breathed.

"Baby Vamp, Stop being so dramatic. This happens a lot here. Let's go" he said as he rolled his eyes.

"Are you even listening to yourself?" Elena hissed at him.

Trevor started struggling in Stefan and Enzo's lock. He tried to squirm out. Bonnie instantly glared at him. She mumbled something under breath and Trevor started shouting in pain again.

"Bonnie stop" Elena begged. Damon held her by the waist.

"Why do you even care about this freak?" Enzo demanded. "I am a hundred and ten percent sure that lowlife sent him to kill both of you" he added.

"Sympathy to an Original is stupidity" Stefan said.

Trevor fell on the floor holding his head, crying in pain as if someone set him on fire. Elena looked at Trevor , her brows furrowed, her lips quivered.

Damon felt a shudder run through her thin frame. "Baby" he said, alarmed.

Elena's chest heaved as she tried to contain her sobs. She couldn't see this. She couldn't let one of her clan die in front of her eyes. Trevor wasn't technically her family but he was no less. A sob broke from Elena, stabbing all the way through Damon's heart. He looked at her, concerned.

"Bonnie! Stop! She can't see this. She isn't use to this. Stefan just snap his neck and throw him in the cellar." He barked orders before his full attention diverted back to his mate. "Damon! Don't do this"

"Baby, these are the rules. Come on! Leave this. Come with me" he said as held her wrist and walked her back to their room.

* * *

There was no way Elena could tell him about her reality now. She saw how much they hated Originals. She couldn't phantom why though. Her clan had always been alone with minimum alliances. Only some very old clans supported Klaus and his principles.

She was looking out of the window, when a pair of arm encircled her she winced. "It's me" Damon whispered.

Elena's mood had been down ever since the incident of Trevor, yesterday. Of course, Damon noticed. Her emotions were all over the place. Misery and guilt were oozing off her. He tried to talk to her. She didn't respond too well. She obviously thought that he went a little extreme when he ordered Trevor to be killed. She didn't know that Trevor was after her. Originals wanted their dirty paws on his girl and he would be damned before that happened. If Elena was indeed somehow linked to Petrova clan then he would have to strictly protect her. Everyone would want her. To others, she would be like a power station of magic. He couldn't even phantom the idea of losing her. Things were getting complicated with every passing second.

"Baby Vamp" he snapped her out of her thoughts. She almost flinched. "Hey! Hey! Relax" he cooed as he guided her back to their bed.

"I'm okay" she said with a tight smile.

"I know that you think that we went a little extreme but that was necessarily needed" he explained.

"A little extreme? You ordered him to be thrown at wolves" she spat.

"They ordered to burn ours alive" he replied.

Elena shuddered. He was right. Whenever any of her clan members got hold of one of the Rippers, Klaus would order him to be burned alive as punishment for crossing the border. Treaty allowed them to do that.

"It's been like that for century. They hate us and we hate them. They kill our vampires if one of ours go to their side and vice versa" he added.

"but the treaty…" she spoke

"The was only made to avoid war for the time being. That fucking Klaus Michelson would have never accepted the treaty if he didn't knew that we had a chance to finish him off permanently" he hissed.

"If you're so sure about your win than why don't you attack them?" Elena said, irritated. Yes, she loved Damon insanely but that didn't mean she liked it when he talked about her family like that even if he didn't know that this was her family he was talking about.

"That will end in the loss of a lot of lives. But just because I prefer peace doesn't mean I'm not ready for war if the time comes. You don't know half the things they have done Elena" he said looking dangerously.

"Originals! Where do I start? They have abused all of us. You have no idea the destruction they did, the families they tore apart and the people they killed" he said pressing his lips in a tight line.

Elena's eyes darted to him. Her eyes were demanding further explanation. He bit his lip as he pondered on the fact on reopening old wounds. He always felt bitter whenever he thought about the past. A time when he wasn't as powerful and so strong as he was now.

"Originals; their chief is Michael but it's Klaus who actually rules them all. He is obsessed with power and he would do anything for it. Unlike all of us, he wasn't bitten or turned he was made vampire by dark magic along with his father. Age gave them advantage over the rest of vampire race" he took a pause.

"Elena, he was ruthless ,pitiless, brutal and cold blooded. He didn't care about anyone. He just wanted to rule us all. He would kill anyone who would stand in his way. The vampire council was scared shitless of him. Some of the witches' coven tried to stop him but since he is himself made of magic, they couldn't do much harm to him. Their tries did anger him though and he ordered them to be burned alive. Covens after covens. Villages after villages."

Elena breath was stuck in her throat as she listened to the cruel stories of her brother. She knew about it. Klaus never hidden anything from anyone but in the stories she had heard he was painted as hero. Her clan worshipped Klaus for saving them over and over again. She knew he had burned witches alive but from what she heard the witches tried to kill them all first and Klaus was only defending his family. _"Everything is fair in love and war. My family is love and I'll war against anyone who dared to look at them the wrong way"_ Klaus had told her once.

"He didn't stop there, Elena. He almost killed an entire race of werewolves because of his personal hatred for those poor creatures. From what I know Klaus thinks these creatures can't control themselves and are abomination that needs to eliminated"

Elena knew about that too. One of Klaus's closest friends, Aurora had died due to a stray werewolf's bite. That loss had been a shot to his heart and he hated werewolves ever since. According to Klaus, they were creature of instinct. They couldn't be trusted. It was necessary to finish them because all they did was to cause harm. They were no good. But that didn't make what he did right. Elena's conscious spoke. "They can be controlled Elena. It take practice but and patience but they can be controlled. They deserve to live like all of us" he added.

"and Klaus killed Jo too. Jo was Rick's mate. They killed her because she was a witch and also because Rick stood up to him when Klaus threatened members of council whenever they opposed his decision. Jo was a powerful witch but they cornered her on the night of lunar eclipse. That's when a witch can't channel her power. She was alone and helpless. Klaus had Rick sent somewhere on councils' duty. Imagine Rick's surprise when he came home and found his mate dead in bedroom ,wrapped up in sheets." He stopped.

Elena gasped. She couldn't imagine his pain. Most vampires couldn't survive the pain of losing their mate.

"Like most vampires, Rick could have just found a way and killed himself but he knew Jo wouldn't want him to do that. She would want him to live his life and protect all the creatures that were also the victims of that callous clan." Damon paused looking at the girl who was listening to his story intently. There was so much conflict in her emotions.

"I can't imagine what Rick would have been through" Elena murmured. "Me neither" Damon replied with glum smile. He couldn't imagine the very idea of Elena's…No! He wouldn't even go there. He knew he wouldn't be able to live if something happened to her. He shuddered as he remembered all those attacks on Elena.

Elena thought about it. To her, there was no world if he didn't exist. She never thought she could love someone like she loved him. And the thought of losing him…she couldn't even think that. She instantly held his hand with both of hers. They looked deep in each other's eyes, felt warmth of each other's hands.

He slid down the headboard, pulling her with him until they were both lying down again and brought his body tightly beside hers. "Did I ever tell you the story of how I was turned?" he asked as ran his fingers through her long locks.

She shook her head looking questioningly at him. "It was 1864. I was at the very first founder's party of our new town at mayor's house. Almost all the town was invited. Rick had just moved in to Mystic Falls with his then clan. He was invited too along with his clan to the party. Obviously, we had no idea about their reality. Rick was hiding from Klaus back then. Back then Klaus had moved to New Orleans.

Someone sold him out and Klaus followed him back to Mystic Falls. It was in mid ceremony when he arrived. We heard screams and many people calling for help. He knew Rick and his clan members were in the ceremony. He and his siblings set the mayor's house on fire. They wanted to get rid of Rick and his clan mates once and for all. They didn't care if humans were inside too."

Her grip on his hand tightened as she heard him talk. She knew her siblings were cruel when it came to the protection of them and their clan but this was just insane. She would be lying if she said she didn't knew. But when she heard stories from members of her clan; Klaus, Kol and Rebekah were always painted as heroes. It was hard to hear the same stories from the victim's side.

"I remember all the doors were jammed. There was no way out. My eyes burned from the smoke. Cloud of smoke filled my lungs and made it impossible for me to breath." He winced as he remembered.

His eyes darted to Elena's face. Tears were streaming down her face. He stopped. She could feel his pain. His pain was her pain. His need for her to understand the feud between their clans required for his mate to know everything about him and that had opened up some of his old wounds.

"I won't make you hear the rest. Needless to say that Rick and his clan mates saved as many of us as he could. He felt entitled to do so, since to him; it was his fault Klaus came back to Mystic Falls" he added caressing her cheek.

"He saved me but he forgot Stefan" Damon said, wincing at the thought. "I was injured but we went back. When we found Stefan he was on verge of death. By then I knew Rick was not just a normal person. I begged him to save Stefan. Rick gave him his blood and Stefan immediately died after that. He woke up as a vampire" Damon stopped.

"Stefan refused to complete the transition if I didn't go through transition too." Damon said making a face. "I had to agree to save him. I was a bit bitter at him for turning me into monster" he added looking at her "but now I don't. Because if I had chosen any other option I wouldn't have ever met you and I can't think of anything more miserable than that"

Elena placed her palm on his cheek. He dipped his head and kissed it. "I lost my father and all my friends and family in that incident though" he added in a grim tone.

"I am so sorry" Elena said earnestly. Her sibling's crazy obsession with power had torn so many families apart. She could understand their hatred for her family.

"It's not your fault" he said with a humorless chuckle.

"Yes it is" Elena thought.

"I spend twenty years under intense training. I came back with my own army and demanded Klaus to leave the town. He laughed at my face and threatened to have my head cut off. But he didn't know we knew his weakness, Elena. We had a stock of oak tree stakes. We attacked them. We lost a lot of ours but we took a lot of them down as well. We were young but we knew the technique and we gave them a run of their money.

They eventually had to take the case to vampire lords once Enzo and werewolves joined. We got one half of the town if not full and alliance of a lot of clans too. Originals hate us and will look for any chance to bring us down and kill us brutally. We were the first to survive after standing up to them and we plan to bring them down someday" he said biting his lip.

"I have to be extra careful because fate of three clans depends on me. They are my family Elena. My judgment is what keeps them alive. Even though you're my mate, my vamp wifey and my queen, I still don't expect you to take part in clan politics but please next time, don't come in my way. I love you to the point of madness but that doesn't give you the right to question my decisions when it comes to my clan." He said strictly.

She nodded her head and looked down. He smiled at her. "Come here" he opened his arms for her. She rolled closer to him and dipped her head in his neck.

Everything was getting more complicated with every second. Her stormy thoughts however came to a halt when she felt his lips on her temple. She snuggled closer. She didn't want to lose him in any case. Peace coursed through her as he murmured soft words in her ear about how much he loved her and how much she meant to him.

Damon rubbed slow circles on her back as he tried to calm her down. He wrapped his leg around her bringing her closer. She had been tense and quiet all day. He could understand what she was feeling. She was an innocent as a human. She had never hurt anyone, let alone kill anyone. This was all new to her. It would take time for his queen to understand the rules and responsibilities.

He bent his head in her hear and inhaled her scent. He could feel her gentle fingers as she ran them through the hair at the nape of his neck sending exquisite chills down his back. He made a purring sound deep in his throat at her closeness making her chuckle before she moved even closer. Peace and love coursed through her being and she forgot all about her worries. If she had the power she would stop time right in this moment where she was in his arms safe and secure in her own bubble. She knew this wasn't going to last long though. She had yet to make a lot of choices. But she pushed all her thoughts away and fell asleep.

* * *

Klaus stared at the battered face of Trevor. Rose, Trevor's mate had been screaming ever since the Rippers sent his body. He had to come back immediately from his honeymoon with his new wife as soon as he got the news. His brows furrowed. Why would Trevor go to Ripper's side when Klaus had clearly told him to keep an eye on his darling sister.

"Bitten by wolves, Klaus" Rose said crying.

"I want justice" she demanded.

"Rose, Sweetheart. Nick will do everything in his power to make sure Rippers pay for this" Caroline comforted the old vampire.

Rose's eyes were wet with tears and agony.

"How long do we have to wait Nick? This had been going on for a decade now. I say we attack them and kill each and every one of them" Kol suggested, fuming.

"Kol! Patience I have greater plans. We need just a bit longer." Klaus said strictly.

"No! I can't wait anymore. I don't care Klaus, I want revenge." Rose seethed. "I want that filth wiped off from this earth. I want them all DEAD" she added.

"Rose, Trevor's sacrifice will not go to waste. I assure you that justice will be served" Klaus promised. "but first let's prepare for the funeral." He said turning around.

What was Trevor doing in the ripper's side? He thought. Something was wrong. He could feel it. He took out his phone and texted Elena to come for the funeral. As a family they all needed to pay their respect to Trevor.

Trevor was his one of the most trusted servant. His death was a great loss to him. And he wasn't going to let this one pass. The Rippers would pay for this.

* * *

Elena was practicing her punching techniques with another vampire when her phone buzzed. She took out her phone from her jeans and moved to a side. "Hello"

"Where are you?" Kol seething voice asked. "and don't you dare lie to me. I am here at your dorm to pick you up and they told me that you left a day ago with your boyfriend." He added.

"Ahh"

"And that reminds me why did I just find out that you have a boyfriend?" he added.

"I am a grown woman Kol I don't need you to approve everything that goes in my life." Elena replied in a hushed tone.

"Whatever" Kol spat. "Anyway, Where are you? Nick sent me to pick you up. You're coming back home with us for a while" he asked.

"Why?" Elena asked. "wh..What happened?" she asked, running her fingers through her hair.

"Rippers happened." Kol seethed. "They killed Trevor. It's his funeral tomorrow and as a ruling family member you need to present" he added, reminding her duties.

"Why do I need to present? I am busy" Elena replied. There was no way she could go back to Duke now. And even if she lied to Damon and told him some other reason for her sudden need to go back he would still insist on dropping her back.

"Stop asking questions, Honey" Kol said, annoyed. "You need be there and that's it. It's Nick's orders and his orders are law" he reminded her.

"Just tell me where you are. I will pick you and meet your boyfriend aswell." He said as he added under breath about killing two birds with one stone. "have to check this guy" he added.

"NO" Elena said, appalled by the idea.

"I mean…I'm close to home. I will come home by myself" she said. Just then she saw Damon coming towards her. "I gotta go, Bro. See you soon" she said as she hung up.

"Jeremy or Nick?" he asked as he circled his arms around her waist.

"Uhh…Jeremy. He just wanted to check up on me. It's been awhile we talked" she lied, hiding her face in his chest. She hated lying to him.

"That reminds me. Did you invite Jenna for dinner?" he asked as he kissed the top of her head.

She shook her head. "I forgot. I will ask her tomorrow" she said, smiling up at him.

"Yeah…you're supposed to go back tomorrow" Damon said with a tight lipped smile. She nodded. "How are you feeling today?" he asked as he cupped her face. The incident with Trevor had a bad impression on her but she was better now that she knew their side of the story. "Better" she replied, smiling lightly. He reached up and traced the strand of hair that she had tucked behind her ear. "Are you done with your meeting with Rick?" she asked.

He nodded. "So can we go home now?" she asked. "I'm kinda hungry" she added.

"I was actually thinking of a dinner at the diner?" he asked. "I watched how you worked so hard on the training. You deserve a reward and what better reward is then to go on a dinner date with yours truly" he added, smugly. Elena smirked. Arrogance suited him. She thought before she replied "Do you practice being this self-conceited or does this comes naturally to you?" she said as she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you may address me by my title: Mr. World-revolves-around-me" he said proudly.

"So shamelessly smug" Elena said shaking her head.

"It's called self-confidence" he replied.

"It's called Mr. My-head-is-too-far-stuck-up-in-my-ass" she chimed back.

"You know I have noticed how you talk about my ass a lot" he said narrowing his eyes. "I can't help but notice that you're obsessed with my ass" he added, smirking. She pushed him away slightly, her face reddening. "Vile, disgusting, vulgar dirty creep" she said, annoyed by his boldness. Secretly she didn't mind much.

"Awww! You know you love me" he replied as caught her wrist and yanked her closer.

She shook her head wearily. "That unfortunately, I do" she replied, rolling her eyes.

* * *

He pulled out the chair for her. It was a routine by now. She sat down gracefully. He sat across her, beaming. He had been feeling stressed ever since his conversation with Rick regarding Elena's security. Rick believed that Originals didn't knew about Elena's possible connection to Petrova clan but Damon insisted they did because of constant attacks on Elena.

He arranged some safety precautions for her and he brought her here to discuss them. He knew she wasn't going to take them well. She was fiercely independent. This was something he loved and hated about her.

His eyes turned toward her. She had doll up for him on his insistence. Not that she didn't like to doll up. She was actually really girly and he loved that about her. She had styled her hair in curls that draped her shoulders and rolled down her back. The light blue lace dress was hugging her delicate figure making her look even more alluring and delicious then she already was. She had even done light makeup in the brief amount of time he gave her.

"You know if you weren't my boyfriend I would have probably filed a restraining order on you because of the creepy way you keep staring at me" she chimed.

"And you really think a petty restraining order could keep me away from you." He replied, rolling his eyes.

"Lord! I am stuck with you forever, aren't I?" she said making a face.

"You say it like it's a bad thing" he said feigning fake hurt.

"You say it like it's a good thing" Elena teased him.

"That's it. I'm not talking to you anymore" he said childishly with huff and crossed his arms on his chest.

"Okay! Okay! I am sorry." She said when he looked away pretending to ignore her. "Damon! I was only kidding. You and I both know that you are the love of my life and there is no world for me if you didn't exist" she said smiling lighting seeing the slight smirk return to his fake furious face.

He leaned on the table, his eyes moved toward the ceiling, still ignoring her. "Oh come on! Damon" she said as she tried to reclaim his attention. She reached across the table and grasped his hand. "I mean it when I say it that you make me the happiest I have ever been in my life. And yes, you're an asshole. You're arrogant and unbelievably smug. And the level of your self-absorption can only rival a sponge" she added and he glared at her. "Not helping" he said through his teeth.

"But you're also caring and sensitive. And yes, you might be right. Maybe, I am bit obsessed with your ass" she said smirking. His eyes darted to her, widening. A slight blush crept on his face. He wasn't use to her talking back so boldly.

"How could I not? Your ass is great and the sex is great but that's not the only thing that makes me absolutely crazy about you. You make me happy, Damon. You surprise me and challenge me and make me feel things that I stopped feeling five years ago and I love that. I love you so much. I have never been happier in my life." She said, beaming at him. A huge grin spread across his face and ruined his already failing effort at fake annoyance with her.

"I love you too. I love you more than anyone can ever love you." he breathed squeezing her hand. "and yes my ass is great" he added, proudly.

She let out a laugh. They had a great time. They teased each other, joked around and made each other laugh. He delayed the conversation they necessarily need to discuss. Once, he paid the bill. He drove them back to house.

By the time they reached home, their need for each other had exceeded all limits. She didn't wait for him to open her door. She vamp sped out of the car to the door. "Hey" he said when she disappeared. "Elena" he called her as his eyes scanned for her. "Catch me if you can" she said, playfully.

"Are we seriously playing tag when I have rock hard- on?" he said, shaking his head as he stepped toward her.

"If you win I will let you play with me" she said seductively as she smiled at him then with a twitch of her finger, she motioned for Damon to come closer. "Game on, Baby vamp" he replied as he stalked closer toward her like a hunter.

Her giggles rang like jiggling of bells in air before she vamp sped inside the house. He followed her with slow steps, smirking. "You're playing here with fire, Wifey" he said loud. He zoomed toward her but she dodged and vamp sped toward the hallways.

Elena hid behind the door that led from the corridor into the room that Damon used as a guest area. She held her breath so he wouldn't find her using his vamp hearing.

"Elena?" she could hear him calling her as his footsteps approached closer. "The longer you keep me waiting the more I'll keep you awake" he said as he drew closer. "Fuck it! I'm pulling an all-nighter tonight" he added with a glint of mischief in his tone. She stifled a giggle.

He closed his eyes as he focused on even the slightest faint sounds. He could hear her muffed breath. They were faint but audible. He smirked as he vamp sped out of the hallway.

Elena concentrated on Damon's footsteps but it was like he wasn't even on the same floor. She moved out of her hiding place to look for him. When she turned back to go back to her hiding place she bumped into someone's chest. "Ohh shit" she murmured before she was shoved against the nearest wall. His arms strong, locking around her, pinning her in place. "Caught you" he said dangerously. Her breath got caught in her throat. "Game over! I win" he murmured before his lips crashed on hers. He pushed her into the wall with his body, attacking her with covetous, bruising kisses. Her hands fisted in his tilted his head to give herself a better access to the curve of his jaw. He kissed her with so much desire she could feel it, swirling frustration, raw need and his passionate desire for her.

He panted harshly as he pulled back. "Room" he breathed. She nodded staring deep into his desired filled stunning blue eyes. Picking her up , he lifted her till she wrapped her legs around him. Lowering his head, he sucked on her nipple through the fabric of her dress till she meowed. "Room" she reminded him.

He nodded as he attached his lips on the hollow of her neck. He zoomed them inside his room. He kicked the door close with the heel of his shoe. He threw her on bed and crawled over top of her with his knees on each side of her body while holding her down. She slipped her arms through his, tightening her grip on him and attached her lips to his. He pierced her lower lip with his fangs. His mouth filled with her sweet blood. He sucked on it enjoying the sweet blood and her soft lips. She whimpered in need and rubbed against him almost wantonly.

His lips grazed down her jaw to her throat. Her scent was intoxicating. He vamped out , unable to control himself. He instantly tried to regain his composure. "It's okay" she murmured lovingly stroking his cheeks with her fingers. Like a satisfied cat he purred at her touch. Even his monster loved her. He thought as he rained kisses down her throat. He rolled her on top of him and slowly plunged his teeth inside her throat. She let out a low moan as he drank from her. He took his teeth out after a couple of sips. She was already weak. He didn't want to weaken her further.

His face turned back to normal in a couple of minutes as he lay silently there with his lips attached to her throat. "I love you so much" he breathed in against her skin. His hands lingered to the zipper on the back of her dress. He nibbled slowly on her neck as he unzipped her dress and slid it off her shoulders. He felt peace course through his blood as she wrapped her arms around him in a possessive embrace.

He trailed kisses down her shoulder to her chest. She moaned against his skin before kissing him on top of his head. She then squirm out of his arms and straddled him. She dropped soft little kisses on his, eyes, cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin while lay quietly in his arms, completely still except for his hands, which curled and uncurled against her back. She pulled his shirt off him in frenzy and trailed kisses down his body. Her hands snaked toward his pants. She unbuckled his belt and slid it off. His eyes stayed on her in anticipation what she would do next. She took him in her hand and stroked him from base to tip a few times before she took him in his mouth. "Oh Baby" he moaned. His large palm cupped the back of her head. She glanced up at him with her devilish eyes to his hooded stormy blue eyes and he felt his control slip at that very moment. She looked like she was enjoying his moans of delight.

Tension build, his body tightened at the sensation. "Baby, I'm close. You should stop" He pleaded after a while. The strength had left him. He didn't have any energy in him to stop her. She snickered slightly and went at him, sucking and licking. Just when she thought he would explode he gave her a slight shove and pushed her on her back. "Game on, Baby" he murmured as he pinned her hands to a side and trailed open mouth kisses down her body. He tore off her silk bra. "What…?" she breathed as he sucked on a soft spot on her throat. "Did you really think I will let you get away with what you just tried to do?" he said as he trailed wet kisses down her throat to her cleavage. One of his hands moved up from her breast and snaked around her back. "I am going to ravish you" he promised before he took her nipple into his mouth. She moaned. He licked her slowly making her wither in need. "Damon" she breathed his name over and over again.

His hand slid down to her core. He threaded his finger inside making her squirm in want for more. He plunged another one making her moan louder and driving her wild. She gasped his name repeatedly. The sweat on her body and her loud moans turned him on even more. His lust filled eyes darkened even more as his want for her grew. He needed her. He needed to be deep inside her. He needed it now. He ached to penetrate in her.

He pressed her into mattress and explored her body, kissing his way down her sides, exploring every inch of her. She wanted to turn the tables on him. She really did. But he was everywhere, his mouth and hands were everywhere kissing her and touching her intimately. "Damon! Please" she begged rubbing against him. "Please what?" he teased as he nibbled on her neck. "I need you" she said looking at him with those doe eyes that made him go weak in the knees. "What do you need from me?" he asked, smirking.

"I need…I…" she said writhing as he kissed her slowly down her throat. "What do you need, Baby?" he asked, enjoying the angry look she gave him next. "That attitude is not going to help you, Angry Birdie" he mocked trying his best to restrain his maddening need for her too. "Now what do you need?" he said huskily, biting slowly on her shoulder. She thrashed slightly. "I…I…what do you want me to say?" she said, frustrated. "Beg" he murmured in her ear. "Beg already and I'll put us both out of our misery" he replied sucking on her shoulder. She panted harshly with lust clouded eyes and wrapped her arms around his back bucking up her hips. He moaned loudly when the head of length touched her core.  
"Damon Please" she meowed. "Not good enough" he replied even though he felt his resolve cracking.

"Damon! I need you inside me. Please" she mewed. He let out a gasp and covered her mouth with his. His entire being ached to be inside her. He didn't want to wait another second. She closed her eyes and waited in anticipation. "Elena!" he whined. "Open your eyes" he insisted. Her eyes darted open. "Watch me take you" he said huskily. He lifted her hips and waited until their eyes met before he slammed inside her. He took her slowly, inch by inch until he was fully seated inside his beautiful mate. He instantly started to move inside her as his mouth found hers. He chanted her name like a prayer against her mouth as he plunged deep and deeper inside her.

She withered underneath him as pleasure coursed through her. He held her face and planted a kiss on her swollen lips as he rode her. She wanted him more. She shifted her legs and he slid deeper, making them both moan in unison. Her eyes widened as her orgasm hit her. Her mouth opened into a silent scream while she rode out her orgasm. He continued thrusting deep and deeper inside her until his balls tightened drawing up against his body and he came with a rush. He lay on top of her, his head in the crook of her neck breathing harshly.

After a while he fell to aside pulling her closer into his arms. Once Elena's breathing became normal she nudged Damon. "Ouch" he murmured looking at her.

"You're an asshole" she hissed remembering how he made her beg.

"And yet you love me" he replied smugly nuzzling her neck.

"That I do" she replied sighing. He let out a chuckle and played with a strand of her hair.

"And you will keep loving me for the rest of our lives?" he asked, slight venerability in his tone. She smiled at him nodding "I will always love you—the most" she said. He let out a grin. "I will always love you too" he replied as he pulled her into a kiss.

* * *

"This is not the way to my college" she said noticing when he took a different route.

"It's a surprise" he murmured, nervously.

"Damon…"

"You still have two hours to your class" he reminded her. He knew her schedule by now. Elena bit her lip. She wasn't attending class today anyway. She had promised Klaus in the morning that she would be home before the funeral. She had three hours' drive back to Mystic Falls. This double life was tiring her.

"Look! Elena, We haven't really talked about what you will do after gradation because you still have three years to that." He started.

"Where is this coming from?" Elena asked, alarmed.

"We have to think about our future together eventually" he said.

"Damon"

"Baby Vamp, I'm really happy with how things are right now but I want more and consider this as first step toward our future together" he said as he stopped the car. He opened his door and jumped out. Instead of zooming to her side like usual, he walked toward her door. He held the door open for her. He offered her his hand and guided her out. He locked his car and walked toward a building with her.

"What's this? Damon" she asked eyeing the building.

"I…You'll see" he said as they walked in the elevator. He tapped his foot nervously. The bell rang indicating they had reached their desired floor. Hooking her arm with his, they walked toward the third apartment. He rang the bell and an old woman opened the door.

"Please come in" she invited them. Damon walked in first, guiding her in with him. "Hello Mr Salvatore. I did what you ordered. I have cleaned up the place as you wanted and brought Miss Gilbert's things here from her dorm yesterday. I have also stocked up the fridge with fresh blood that Mr Jones dropped yesterday." She completed.

"That will be all Mrs. Flowers. Please leave us alone for a few moments" he said without looking at the woman twice.

The woman left on his order immediately by the look on her face that she was compelled to bid his every order.

"What's going on? Damon" she asked.

"Elena! I know we haven't talked about how things would be after you graduate. We both have different goals set for our future. You have your studies and I have my clan on my mind. The only thing that I'm sure about his I will be there with you wherever you are."

"Damon that's very swe—"

"Just listen to me. I'm not asking you to change much. You pretty much live with me in Mystic Falls. It's very inconvenient for you to come home with me every weekend. So, I decided why don't I just buy us a house here. We'll just live together, like a family... you know, be normal. Well normal for us. We are after all bonded for eternity." He said holding her knuckles.

"I don't like to stay away from you much. This will be so more convenient. And I won't be losing my sleep over how far I am from you and how I wouldn't be able to save you if someone attacked you again." He added.

"but what about your clan?"

"I have had it all planned out. Most of the work is on Monday and Tuesday. I will be staying in Mystic Falls the first two days and I will be staying the rest of week with you. Rick and Stefan can handle them." He replied.

"but Damon…"

"It's not that far. I can drive home whenever they need me." He added. "My clan is important but you're my mate. You're safety is more important to me no matter how selfish that makes me. You have been attacked not once but twice and I can't risk it again. The idea of you in danger drives me nuts. I will be here to protect you all the time and even in two days I am not here. I will leave someone here with you for your protection." He added.

"Even this house is protected. The deed is in Mrs. Flowers name and only myself, Enzo and you have been invited in this house. So no vampires can ever enter here. I have also installed cameras, fire alarms and burglar alarms. You will be safe here" he finished.

"You're getting a little paranoid"

"Of course I am paranoid. You're all I have. I will die if I lose you" he replied bluntly. She felt her heart melt. "Don't say things like that" she said, concerned.

He nodded slightly before he continued. "and imagine we will be living together. I can find some human job for me too. We can build a life here for ourselves" he said bringing her close. "Away from all the vampire drama."

She was tempted too she really was. This would only complicate things further. She could feel it in his emotions how much he wanted this. When she rose her eyes from to the floor to match his. She saw yearning, care and so much love in his. How could she ever say no to him?

"I think it's a great idea" she said, smiling. A grin spread over his face, his eyes were shining with joyous relief. The brilliant smile on his face filled her with delight and love for him. "Yes," Damon said. He picked her up and twirled her around. Then he kissed her. She let out a giggle, throwing her arms around him. "Let me down" she whined.

"Why?"

"You will drop me" she said, pushing herself away slightly.

"Elena! I am a vampire. I have like the strength of hundred horses" he replied rolling his eyes.

"Horses huh…that explains the weird teeth" she said touching his fang with her finger tip.

"They are just fine" he chimed back biting her finger lightly.

"They are perfect and so are you" she said as she brushed out hair out of his eyes. She scrunched up her nose. "although your mouth smell like a goat" she added.

He narrowed his eyes "That's actually the smell of you in my mouth. Remember after we showered I…" she clasped a hand on his mouth. "The old lady is standing outside. She doesn't need to know the graphical detail of how—"

"how I blow your mind" he completed.

"Asshole"

"Damn straight" he replied winking before dropping her on her feet.

"Now! Let's go" he added guiding her to a room.

"Where?"

"We have to christen every flat surface in this house. Chop! Chop! Hurry up" he said dragging her to the nearest bedroom. "but that woman…"

"I will compel her to forget everything later" he replied closing the door behind them.

* * *

It took a while for him to leave. After a suitable amount of time, Elena went to her dorm and drove all the way to Mystic Falls. Like usual, she was late. She silently beside her siblings as the casual rituals of followed.

She looked at Rose. Trevor's mate. She looked devastated and for a minute Elena felt guilty again. She knew her clan would hate her if they knew what she had done. There was no way they would ever accept Damon and she knew she would have to make a big choice in future. Family or Love?

A dinner was arranged in honor of Trevor and his services to Original clan. Almost everyone in her clan was present. She still didn't get the chance to meet Klaus as he was busy. But she did get a stink eye from Kol.

"You were late today" Michel's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah…I was…I had a couple of classes" she lied.

"Kol said you weren't at your dorm when he went there to pick you up" he added.

"Umm…I was with someone else" she said looking down.

"Yes, he did mention that your friends said you spend weekends with your boyfriend" Michel said with slight disgusted face. "Human?" he asked.

She nodded making him and Isobel hiss. "Didn't you tell her?" Michael asked Isobel.

"I did. I did tell her that if she bonds with Elijah it would help our families but No. Honey is always selfish. She wouldn't do a single thing for the betterment of her family."

"Isobel!" Klaus warned as he walked toward them. "It's Honey's decision who she wants to be with. No one is going to force her into something she doesn't want" Klaus added.

"But Nick, Look at how messed up our state is right now. The Rippers keep attacking us. If only Hon-" Isobel was cut off with a hiss from Klaus.

"You don't need to worry about that. I will keep my family and my clan safe at every cost" he said strictly. "but Honey I want to meet this guy" he said looking at his sister.

"What?" Elena gasped.

"You have been seeing him for quite a time now. It's time we meet him. We also need to make sure he is not on some hidden agenda from the Ripper's. That trash clan would sink to any level to get what they want" he added sipping from his glass. Elena could see the worry line form on his forehead.

"If you're implying that my daughter would make the mistake your sister made a century ago than I'm more than enough confident about Honey. Unlike Rebekah, Honey knows the difference between right and wrong." Isobel said proudly and Elena nearly choked on her drink.

"Love" Klaus said alarmed as she coughed. "How many times do I have to tell you to drink slowly?" he said rubbing her back. She let out a weak smile. "You're glowing though. How many blood bags do you drink a day?" he asked caressing her cheek.

In truth she had drunk none. She had been feeding on Damon for the past two days. He insisted she needed fresh blood and he could provide her as much till she goes back to Duke. He let her drink from him multiple times.

"Three" she lied looking away. He smiled. "Oh! There you are" Caroline said as she walked toward them.

"I missed you" Caroline said hugging the brunette girl. "I have so much to tell you" she said excitedly.

"Love! Notch down the excitement. We are at an After-funeral reception" he reminded her.

"Oh sorry" she said making a serious face. Klaus let out an amused chuckle, looking lovingly at his wife.

"We have to talk" Caroline said in Elena's ear.

Just then a man walked toward Klaus and whispered something in his ear. "It's done"

Klaus nodded smugly. "Rose!" he called the girl with short hair from a distance.

"Come'ere love" he motioned her to come close.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Can I please have your attention?" Klaus said loudly. A silence fell in the room instantly.

"Now! As we all know that Rippers attacked us with wolves multiple times under the excuse that wolves are the creature of instinct and no one can control them even though I have suggested measures against them many times.

There was time that we ruled earth and that time would come again pretty soon. My grand plans are in work and we will once again rise among all clans and rule the world. But until then let's just celebrate the death of another Ripper" Klaus stopped and almost everyone cheered except for Elena.

"You heard right. Trevor Wood, your sacrifice didn't go to waste. A Ripper would be joining you by the nightfall" he added raising his glass.

Color drained from Elena's face and she felt life escape through her. "Which one?" she murmured under breath.

"Love! You okay?" Klaus asked Elena, not liking the horror struck look on her face.

"Nick! Why…?" she said and Kol almost hissed. Elena never liked their feud with Rippers. Even before she met Damon. Kol and Klaus were used to her moral speeches.

"Shut it! Hon. It needed to happen and that's that. Now topic closed" Kol said, frowning before he joined in the celebration of death of her other family member.

* * *

Elena rushed outside of her parents' house once no one was looking. She was just about to call Damon to see if he was okay when her phone chimed loudly.

"WHERE ARE YOU?" an angry voice demanded.

" I…"

"Mrs. Flowers says that you left after I left and…" she cut him off before he could complete.

"I am at mum's" she said. Technically that wasn't a lie. She was indeed at her mother's house. Damon just didn't know who her real mother was.

"I'm coming to pick you up. We need to take you back to Mystic Falls now." He rushed. She could hear the sound of engine in the background.

"Damon—"

"Enzo had been attacked in our territory when he was on border guard duty. Can you believe their guts? They have crossed all limits. They have broken the treaty. " he said frantically.

"Oh God" Elena breathed.

"He almost died if it weren't for Rick there" Damon said with a sigh. "They want war, Elena. I will give them war but first you need to come back home where we can all keep you safe. Duke is too dangerous now." He said hurriedly.

"Damon, I can't"

"I know that you have college and all but this is very serious situation. They came inside our territory. This shows that they don't care about treaty anymore, Elena. They are planning to attack and they would do everything in their power to harm me and as my mate you will be their top target" he said in a tense tone and she could feel how horrified he was of that idea. "They can use you as leverage" he added. "and Elena I would die if they hurt you even marginally" he said earnestly.

"They can't possibly know about me" she said.

"Well! I am not waiting around for them to figure out my weakness. If they don't know yet they will find out pretty soon, those fucking leeches. Pack your bags, Baby vamp. I am on my way" he said before he hung up.

"Damon…Damon" she said. "Oh God" she huffed. Everything was falling apart. She couldn't possibly reach Jenna's house before him. She had to think something quick.

"Something wrong, Honey?" Elena stiffened when she heard a voice from behind.

* * *

Next chapter

Jenna comes to meet Damon at the Ripper side...?

They tell her about their mating bond...Jenna's reaction

Damon finally draws Elena's sketch!

Caroline finds out about Elena's mating bond. She plans to tell Klaus...?

Rippers plan an attack on Originals but a night before someone burn down their oak tree forest...who could it be? Guess! Guess!

* * *

 **Please Review and let me know if you liked the chapter!**

 **Spread Love!**

 **Take Care**

 **P.s : A guest reviewer asked if Elena can leave Damon now. They are one soul now. She wouldn't want to leave. She loves him as much as he loves her.**


	17. Promise me this is forever?

**Chapter 16**

* * *

She spun around and found Elijah standing behind her. "Oh! Hey" she greeted him weakly. "Your boyfriend giving you a tough time? What was his name again? Damon?" he asked coming close to her.

"Uhh…Nothing like that" she said shaking her head. "He just…I have an important exam and he was just informing me" she lied. Lies, lies and more lies. She had been lying hell a lot. "Ohh! Do you have to go back today?" Elijah asked, sympathetically.

She nodded. "I don't think Nick would allow that" Elijah said as he walked alongside her back to the house. "What? Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "If you haven't noticed we are on verge of war. He wouldn't want to compromise your safety by sending you away at these drastic times. I know I wouldn't" He replied.

She gave him a slight smile. "I think I can handle myself" she said. "It's time for dinner" Jessica, a human maid informed them. Elena nodded as she walked toward the huge dining hall. She took her chair next to Rebekah.

"Nick!" she called her brother who was busy playing with his wife's fingers. Klaus's eyes rose to hers. "I have a something important to do back at college. Can I go after dinner?" she asked, pleadingly.

" Something important to do. Is that what you call your sexy time with your boyfriend?" Rebekah whispered,smirking.

"Becky" Elena warned, eyes widening. Marcel let out a snicker nudging his mate. "That's what I love about this woman. The way she can baffle anyone with her comments" he said adoringly. Kol made a fake puking noise.

"How serious is it? Are you planning to turn him in near future?" Michael asked.

"For goodness sake, Michael. It's just a childish fling. We don't need to turn him. When Elena is done playing with her latest toy we can just compel him to forget about us. It's not like Nick would ever allow that, right, Nick?" Isobel said and Elena flinched.

Isobel never displayed any type of motherly affection to her. At times, Elena thought she didn't have it in her to feel emotions. She might have gone insane if it weren't for Klaus, Kol and Rebekah who gave her all the love and affection a child demanded from parents. Maybe even more. Again Elena felt guilty.

"Isobel! If Elena wants to spend the rest of her life with that guy then I have no problem in turning him for her" he replied straight forward. Elena hung her head down in shame. She was cheating her brother. Her brother who trusted her blindly.

"Klaus!" Elijah said, shocked. "We…we barely know that man. What if he has some hidden agenda with Elena" he added.

"Can we not discuss this right on the dinner table?" Elena said, flushed.

"Elijah is right though. We barely know him, Nick. You're not honestly considering that, Right? I mean what if he had been sent by the Rippers. You know how those low life creatures can sink to any level to get what they want. Remember what they did to Rebekah. I know Honey is a lot smarter but still we need to be careful" Isobel said and everyone on the table hissed.

Rebekah looked down embarrassed. Caroline had been silent the whole time. She rarely spoke in their clan matters but this was just getting ridiculous. However Klaus spoke before she could.  
"Isobel, what Rebekah did was in past. She was young and she made a mistake which everyone makes at a point. I don't appreciate you bringing that up over and over again" Klaus spat at Isobel.

"And Mr. Smith, I appreciate your concern for my sister but she has three older siblings that loves and cares about her the most. You don't need to worry yourself over her. I would die before I let anyone harm a single hair on her head" He said coldly to Elijah. "and that goes for all of my clan." He said in dead determined tone.

"That's my family for you" Kol said proudly. Michelson's were known for their unity and love amongst each other.

Elijah didn't look amused at all. He looked down and stuffed food in his mouth. Klaus was betraying him. This wasn't their plan.

"We always have each other's back." Kol added as he broke the crust of cake with his fork.

"Of course, we do. Your first choice should always be your family. If it comes down to anything, no matter what your opposing choice maybe, we will choose family first. That goes for all of you" he ordered. And just like that Elena felt something stir inside her, a force making her love and faithfulness to her family stronger.

"Indeed" Rebekah said nodding.

"You don't have to ask me twice" Kol said with his mate nodding in agreement.

The rest of the dinner went silently as Klaus and Michael discussed future strategies against Rippers. Once, the dinner was over Elena went to her childhood room to repack. She was getting anxious with every second. She looked at her wrist watch. In about an hour Damon would be at Jenna's doorstep. She couldn't even risk calling him. Her house was filled with vampires with super hearing and calling Damon would be a huge mistake.

"Leaving?" Nick's voice startled her.

"Yes, I can't waste another day here. I have mid-terms coming up" she said. "You do know it's very dangerous now to let you leave after we initiated attack on Rippers" Klaus said after a while.

"Nick! I can't stay here." She literally begged.

"I know. I just…you know that I'm only looking out for you" he said cupping her face delicately. "If I could shift to Duke with you I would but I have work here…"

"I completely understand Nick. I don't expect you to guard me all the time" she said, zipping her bag close before Klaus changed his mind.

"Ignore Isobel, Honey" he added. "If you are in love with your human boyfriend than I am willing to turn him for you." He said, smiling.

"It's…It's not like that" she said as she tied her hair in a ponytail. "You know you can discuss anything with me right? Hon" Klaus said noticing her hesitant behavior.

"So what does this guy do? Does he know that you're a…" Klaus asked. "He is in my college and yes he knows" Elena lied.

"Oooh! Did you tell him or did he knew before…" Klaus asked, narrowing his eyes. From what he knew humans were scared of their kind.

"Nick! Can we do this interrogation next time I visit" Elena said, annoyed. "I really need to leave" she said, casting her eyes downward.

"Of course" Klaus said with a tight-lipped smile. Elena was definitely hiding something.

"but I want to meet him" he insisted and Elena nearly groaned. "Of course, you do" she mumbled. Nothing was going as she planned. Her lies were catching up to her. She didn't know how long could she carry on this charade.

"I asked Kol to drive you back" Klaus said. "Have a safe journey" he said before kissing her forehead.

* * *

"Nicklaus! This is against our deal" Elijah huffed as he followed Klaus to his study.

"So?" Klaus said ignoring him.

"Nicklaus! You can't accept Elena's human boyfriend. This is against our treaty terms" Elijah protested.

"You can't tell me what I can and what I can't do" Klaus warned. "Besides, it's probably for the best. If Elena loves him than I will just turn him for her. She can have the guy and stay happy with him. I just need a male vampire for the spell. Honey and her mate will perform the ritual and the spell will trigger. Once, Honey conceives she will harness magical powers from her baby. She will be powerful than any witch alive and it would be enough to crush those Rippers"

"You're forgetting something. The Rippers have their witches too" Elijah replied.

"Their power will be nothing in front of Elena's. And that's just the beginning. Elena's children will have magical power beyond any comprehension. Imagine having that kind of power. Strong like a vampire, magic like a witch and blood of Petrova. They wouldn't even need any magical means to harness power from. It would be in their own blood" Klaus said with a dream like expression.

"I would tell about your plans to everyone" Elijah threatened, making Klaus hiss. "You're not backing off our deal. Elena is mine" he said in a dangerous tone.

"I will pull out your spleen if you threatened me again" Klaus warned.

"You can kill me but Finn and Freya knows all about your plan. If I die they will inform everything to the council. The council will kill Elena within an eye blink and you will be left empty handed" Elijah added.

"You're literally digging yourself a grave" Klaus warned.

"That's right Nicklaus. You wouldn't want to cross me. I know all your schemes. I don't think your siblings will appreciate that they are all in sire bond with you. Not to mention how Elena will react when she finds out that she is no more than a breeding cow to you" Elijah was going to continue when Klaus hissed. "One more word Elijah and I swear to God you will regret it. You don't want to make me your enemy"

"You don't want to make me your enemy either" Elijah replied. "I want that human boy gone by next month or I might just open my mouth in front of the council and your dear clan" Elijah said as he spun on his heels and left with a satisfying smirk.

* * *

Jenna had been surprised to find Damon on her doorstep. "I'm here to see Elena" he said after formal greetings. "Elena…She isn't here" she said shaking her head. Was this still going on? It's been almost three months now. Was he still chasing her around?

"But…she said she is with you" he insisted, eyes narrowing and then Jenna remembered. Elena is supposed to be on Trevor's funeral. "Oh dear lord" she almost groaned.

"She went out with a couple of her friends. She will be back in a while." Jenna lied. Things she did for her niece. She thought. "You're most welcome to come inside and wait for her here" she added out of courtesy.

"No, I will just wait for her back at our apartment."

"You're living together?" she asked, shocked. Okay, when did that happen? Jenna thought.

"Umm…It's better that you hear it from her" he said with a timid smile.

Jenna nodded, still not over her shock. "I should go, Goodnight Jenna. Always a pleasure seeing you" he said pleasantly.

"You too" Jenna said. She closed the door once he was gone. "The girl really has a death wish" Jenna said as she walked back to her living room. Living with a ripper. Really? Jenna thought. "The girl has lost it completely" Jenna said as she dropped on couch. Elena really needed to finish it with the Ripper. Jenna was going to have a serious talk regarding this with her niece.

* * *

Damon called her multiple times but she didn't receive. Instead she sent him a message telling him she was with her friends and she wasn't going to return before midnight. Apparently, she had some grand tests that she needed to prepare for.

He stayed up for a while and waited for her but when she didn't show up he got worried. He tried calling her again but she didn't receive. This angered him a bit. What was so important that she couldn't receive his calls?

He focused on her link to him. He concentrated on the barrier to her mind. Although their bond was very young and new but Enzo did tell him if he concentrated very hard he could access her mind. He could feel the energy draining from his body.

Hushed whispers, a laugh and a man's voice. "Yes, I remember that…you were bawling the first time Sam died on supernatural" the man said.

"Stop it! I was a kid back than…" his mate replied and then the connection broke.

His eyes snapped open. What was that? He thought. According to Elena's text message she was with Liv and April preparing for her grand quiz. Then who was the man she was talking to?

"It must be a friend. Stop being so insecure" he told himself off. But his inner demon didn't understand logic. It had blinded him with doubt and jealousy. "I am better than this" he said fighting the wild fire inside him. Eating up the wild fire like rage he laid back on a chair and closed his eyes. He could feel her emotions. She was feeling secure. _He smiled_. And slight anxious. _Maybe, because she missed him and couldn't wait to see him._

Suddenly, he couldn't wait to see her again. He rose up and decided to go to her dormitory. She was surely there with her friends. He just couldn't wait anymore to see her even though he had just been with her in the morning. Also, he wanted to see her in her human elements. College, friends and studies. Her lifestyle was so different from the rest of them even though she was a vampire. Her biggest worry was why she didn't get an A grade on her assignments. Petty human problems! He thought with a slight smirk as he walked out of the door.

* * *

"Kol! I am fine" she said for the last time as she stood in front of her college building. "When will you be introducing us to Mr. Perfect?" Kol said rolling his eyes. Klaus had put him to find as much about Elena's boyfriend as he could. Elena tried to dodge as many questions as she could. She didn't like to lie to her siblings but she didn't have any other choice.

But she had so much on her chest. She told him all about Damon, except his name and that he belonged from Ripper clan. She shared a close bond with Kol and she liked sharing things with him. Elena's mind diverted to the conversation they had in car.

* * *

 **Flashback**

* * *

"He is something else…he is the most amazing man I have ever met. He…he makes me laugh. I mean who doesn't like to laugh…" Elena blabbered lovingly.

"Laugh…that's how you got impressed because he makes you laugh" Kol said making a weird face.

"It's not just that. He's perfect. He's smart and handsome as hell, he says the most wonderful things, he sends me flowers, shares his life with me, he…he never hides anything from me, he is downright honest and straightforward" she said stopping to take a breath.

Kol looked slightly taken aback.

"When we're together, we banter and we laugh. It…It's like Nick once said; be with a person who makes you feel happy that you're alive. He is the one" she said looking down.

"It's not so easy to be with him but it feels so right with him. He cherishes me and loves me like no one ever did" she completed in a hushed tone.

"You're in love with him?" he asked in a dead calm tone.

Elena looked down. It was not weird to discuss this with Kol. Her relationship with Kol was different then her relationship with Klaus. She could share things with Kol more openly. He was her best friend in true sense.

"Yes" she said smiling looking down. A small smile appeared on his face before his face became straight again. "and he?"

"He loves me more than anything in this world" she replied confidently.

"And he knows you're a vampire?" he asked, thinking deeply.

She nodded. "Will he be willing to turn for you?" Kol asked, hesitantly. Elena looked down again. She couldn't tell them he was a 176 year old vampire who also happened to be there worst enemy. She knew Kol was considering to turn him for her. All of her siblings were. There had never been a time when her siblings never provided her with something she wanted.

"We didn't have this discussion yet" she lied.

"Honz! You should talk to him about this. Human-Vampire relationships never work. Talk to him and let me know as soon as possible. And I really want to meet this man who got you so love struck" Kol said. She looked at her lap , playing with the hem of her skirt. She briefly considered revealing Damon's reality to him but then the fear of Kol's wrath stopped her. Kol was the most understanding of all of her siblings but that didn't make him any less devoted to clan rules. He would never tolerate her betrayal to clan.

* * *

 **Over**

* * *

"HONZ!" Kol's voice snapped her back to reality. "I asked you something" he said narrowing his eyes.

"Soon" she felt like she said that for the umpteenth time today. "You will meet Mr. Perfect soon" she said avoiding his eyes, something she did whenever she was lying.

"I better" he said as he circled his arms around his baby sister. "Take care, Honey" he said, kissing the top of her head.

"You too" she said as she reached to kiss his cheek. "Goodnight" Kol said as he sat back in his car and left.

* * *

From a distance, he watched the man embrace his mate tenderly almost too lovingly for his taste. _"I better"_ Damon could hear him. "Take Care, Honey" the man said to his mate. _Honey._ How he despised the way the man called her so affectionately.

"You too" his Elena replied so lovingly it set his insides on fire. He could feel her emotions. Love. She was feeling the purest form of love for the man in front of her and he never felt so bitter.

He couldn't see the man though. His back was to him. But by the looks of it, he was quite tall and well built. "Goodnight" the man said as he jumped back in his car and raced his car forward, leaving his mate behind wave at him.

"That was one hell of a good bye" he said nearly startling her.

"Damon" she said, looking alarmed. She looked like she had just been caught robbing a bank. She looked frightened.

"A very interesting thing happened when I was searching for you here in campus. I met some of your friends. Liv and April…"

"Damon! I can explain" she said nervously.

"They told me this very weird thing…"

"Damon!" she said taking a step back.

"You never attended a class today and that they haven't seen you the entire day" he said with a dry chuckle.

"You know very well how much I can't tolerate liars. This is the one thing I despise the most." he paused "Who was he? Elena" he demanded seriously.

"You…you didn't see him" Elena sputtered and then she sighed in relief. His eyes narrowed at her reaction.

"Who was he? Elena" he asked. His voice dripping with jealousy and insecurity. She knew because she could feel his emotions.

A smile broke on her face baffling him. "Oh good Lord! It's not what you're thinking" she said cupping his face, lovingly. "That was…that was my brother" she said as she giggled.

His mouth fell open and he felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. "That wasn't Jeremy" he said after a second. But then he bit his lip. "Nick! That was Nick?" he asked almost sheepishly. She casted her eyes down and nodded stifling her giggles.

She avoided his eyes. She hated lying to him. But what other choice did she have. They walked back to his apartment as she held his arm and mocked him. His cheeks were red with embarrassment. "You don't trust me at all." She teased and she notice him flinched.

"No, No, No, I do" he said hurriedly. "I don't know what happened. I just saw you with some guy I didn't know and I could feel your love for him. It was so raw and pure and I don't know what happened. I snapped. Not even once did I think that…that man could be your brother." He groaned, ashamed.

"I'm really sorry for doubting you. I swear to you that from this day onward I would trust you explicitly." He said earnestly. Elena felt guilty for the thousandth time today.

He talked the whole way to their apartment apologizing over and over again at his sudden conclusion to the situation. She smiled at him and told him it was okay and that his cave man attitude wasn't new to her.

"Its okay, Damon" she said when he apologized for the umpteenth time. "It's not like I don't get all Miss Possessive over you" she said as she jumped in the bed and snuggled closer to him. "You do?" he asked, eyes narrowing. "Of course, I do. I mean as much as I hate to admit it" Deep sigh. "You're really good looking and I notice the way all the female vampires look at you at our practice field especially Jules." She said almost gritting her teeth at last part.

"Oh! So that's why you're fuming" he said as realization hit him. "and all this time I thought you just hated to practice with Jules" he said, smirking.

"Don't pretend like you didn't notice them ogling you" she said making a face.

"I honestly didn't" he said shrugging. "I'm used to wide female attention." He said arrogantly.

She looked up at him with a frown. "How could someone be so full of themselves?"

"Arrogance is my birth right" he replied smugly.

"Superiority complex. It's actually a recognized illness" she said with a slight smirk.

"You have one hell of a mouth" he said feigning hurt. "I could think of a million other better ways you could use your pretty little mouth" he said smiling lewdly.

She glared at him. "How can you be so vile?"

"I'm just stating the obvious" he replied rolling his eyes. "Come on! Do it" he insisted, hiding his smirk.

"Kiss my ass" she said shaking her head in disgust before she turned. "As you wish" she heard him before he rolled on top of her. "Oh My God! I didn't mean literally" she said, giggling as he touched the ticklish spots on her body. "Stop! Stop!"She laughed, slapping his hand away.

Before she realized his lips brushed hers. The rest of the night passed in a blur. They spent the night in each other's arms pleasuring each other , making love before the sun cast its light through the slits in curtains.

* * *

She had woken up before him. After writing him a note that she would be back by noon, she left for class. He was waiting for her as expected when she came back. He had a duffel bag prepared. "Are we going somewhere?" she asked as she dropped her books on the couch.

"Yes, home" he said smiling weakly.

She stiffened. "Elena! It's dangerous over here. I can't be here all the time. And I refuse to leave you alone. Unprotected. I know that I'm asking too much but you just have to stay with me until I finish those fucking Originals" he said as he stepped closer to her.

"What? Excuse me! What?" she said eyes narrowing.

"Elena! I know, this is too much but you have to understand that Originals will…"

"Damon, No! Absolutely not." She flat out refused.

"Elena, it's just until the war ends" he pleaded.

"And that could take centuries" she said turning around. She couldn't possibly go with him. Going with them would mean allying with Rippers against her own family and secondly he was asking her to give up her independence. She literally came to Duke because her family was too controlling and now Damon was turning out just same as them.

"Elena! Please try to understand. I won't be able to concentrate if the whole time my mind is here, worried about your safety and besides our clan needs us…"

"Your clan…It's not "our" clan. It's your clan" she said, slightly rude.

"Elena, as my mate they are your family too"

"No, Damon. I'm not one of the Rippers. I'm still my individual self"

"Of course, you're one of us now. As my mate…" she cut him before he could complete.

"Damon! Let me make this clear once and for all. In no way am I one of the Rippers. I am just your mate. I don't have anything to do with Rippers or your clan's feud. I'm bonded only to you not your clan. In no way am I entitled to ally with them in this war." She said with a straight face.

"Baby Vamp, you can't just limit yourself to me. You're my mate. You're their Queen. And in this time, I need you by my side…" he said stepping closer to her and holding her wrists. Surely, she can't be so selfish.

"Damon, I love you. I truly do. And I support you but I refuse to side with your clan. I don't want anything to do with this feud. Yes, I am your mate but that doesn't entitle me to your clan. I refuse to be a part of them." She said yanking her wrists again, turning away from him.

"I think you're only saying this because you're scared." He said walking in front of her. He cupped the sides of her face and made her look at him but her eyes remained lowered. "Have a little faith in me, Baby." He added.

She was torn. She couldn't possibly side with him against her own family. Then again, she couldn't leave him too. The very thought of being separated from him caused her physical pain. She knew she had to make a choice soon but she didn't know "soon" was already here. She couldn't. She wouldn't. She knew she was only deceiving herself but she refused to make a choice. She couldn't give up her family and she refuse to give up the love of her life. She couldn't live without either of them. Unknowingly, he was asking her to make a choice. But he didn't know that both him and her family meant the world to her. The pain of losing any of them would kill her.

Her face scrunched up in pain at the very thought. When she looked up her eyes filled with tears. She suddenly felt weak. The sight of her tears alarmed him. His instinct to comfort came natural and quick.

"You promised you won't force me into something I don't want" she choked with a sob.

"Oh! No, Baby" he said as he took her in arms, worried. "Of course, I won't. I am sorry. I am really sorry." He pulled her closer and murmured apologies. In the moment, he was disgusted with himself. Of course, he wouldn't demand her to take part in a war with him against his enemies. She was right. His clan's feuds were his problem not hers. In his defense, he only wanted her on his side. He wasn't demanding it. Did it really come out like that?

"Of course, it's your choice" he said as he pulled back. "Sorry. Sorry" he repeated as he wiped the tears off her cheeks and pushed back stray strands of her hair. "Please don't hate me" she said, insecurity visible in her tone. "No, of course not. I can never hate you, Baby" he said in tone as if the very idea was preposterous. He reached out and smoothed her hair from her face, murmuring consoling words, promising his love to her for eternity. He picked her up and went toward couch. Elena sighed in relief. She delayed the choice for the time being but she knew she couldn't run away from reality for long.

* * *

After two fights, four temper tantrums and one warning that Damon would take her back with him to Mystic Falls if she didn't agree to his conditions she finally submitted and allowed Lexi to stay with her during the time he was in Mystic Falls.

She was a bit bitter at first but he told her that he wasn't leaving her unprotected. Lexi was 140 year old strong vampire and she would be able to defend her if Originals attacked her. On Friday, Lexi drove her back to Mystic Falls. The next two weeks passed peacefully—at least for her.

Damon on the other hand faced numerous challenges in those two weeks. First, he informed about the attack on Enzo to the Vampire Council. Klaus denied all allegations. The treaty was strained further more. The council and clan heads tried to make them negotiate but both clans refused to co-operate.

"Believe me when I say that I want nothing more than friendly relations with our neighbors but it seems like they insist on creating issues that aren't even there." Klaus said with a straight face to the Lord of council when the Lord questioned him. Damon curled and uncurled his fists. It was taking everything in him not to attack the disgusting creature in front of him who dared to attack his best friend. He wasn't ever forgiving that.

"You know me, my lord. I am a man of peace." Klaus said to the Lords. "Unlike Mr. Salvatore over here, I have a family and I'm newly married. I don't have time for this" he added with a sigh.

"Lair" Stefan snarled.

"Stefan! Calm down" Damon ordered immediately. He didn't want to create a scene. He knew the vampire council despised Klaus as much as he did. They all knew of his true nature.

"Mr. Johns could have been attacked by anyone, My Lord. I assure in full confidence that none of my guards would ever cross the border. We look for peace. We don't want war" Klaus said.

"If you don't want war then you best keep your leeches to your side." Damon hissed. "and I demand an apology and compensation for attacking Lorenzo Johns or I would have no choice but to commence war"

"Huh! Empty threats" Klaus snickered.

"Ohh! My threats aren't empty at all." He replied.

"My Lord, He is threatening me in front of the council when I am continuously insisting on peace." Klaus said in a fake tone of desperation.

The Lords sided with Klaus since they didn't want war either. But this time Damon was determined to teach Klaus a lesson. He had a lot of clans on his side. They were faithful to him and would side with him if Rippers commenced war. He was sure even the council would take his side if he initiated the war. Everyone wanted to get rid of bloody Originals. But as much as he hated to admit, they were very strong. He needed serious strategy before he launched an attack. But one thing was sure, he wasn't ever going to forgive Klaus Michelson for attacking his best friend.

* * *

Elena and her mother, Jenna would be home in about half hour. Damon looked around last time to check all arrangements. Today, they were going to tell Jenna about their new status as mates. He had to admit he was nervous. Jenna's opinion mattered to him because she was Elena's family. He paced around nervously.

He had also insisted to extending an inviting to both of Elena's brothers, Jer and Nick but Elena said "one person at a time"

Rick looked amused seeing the clan chief worried about if his mate's mother would like him. He didn't seem like a man who was planning a dangerous vampire war against an old cruel vampire clan. At the moment, he looked like a normal human man about to meet his girlfriend's parents for the first time.

"Would you relax? It's not like she could make Elena break up with you. For goodness sake, you two are in a blood bond now" Rick said watching him pace nervously.

Just then they heard the car stop in the driveway. He gulped. Here goes nothing.

* * *

When Damon called Jenna and invited her for dinner. Jenna couldn't refuse. Elena had been ignoring her for a while. And she knew something was up. She accepted the invite in hopes to know more about her niece's relation with the Ripper vampire. After all, Isobel and Nicklaus had left Elena in her care.

After formal greetings and boring talk about the weather, Damon invited her to the dining room for dinner. Something in the back of Jenna's mind told her the real deal was about to come. Her mind was giving her warnings. She noticed a lot of different things about the couple.

How warmly they hugged when she entered the threshold of the large Manson. How at ease Elena walked around the house as if she owned it. The way they communicated so easily. She noticed how the Ripper gazed at her niece oh so lovingly as she chatted about her week in college. A smile radiant as sunshine and bliss on his handsome features as she talked about how tiresome her week was and how annoying her professors were. His love for her was evident in his eyes as they talked, ignoring her and the sandy blonde haired man who looked like he was use to this display of affection.

"It was hard and very long but I managed to finish my task on time" Elena completed her long rant with a cold sigh and he laughed slightly. "But it's like Shakespeare once said Life is a bitch. You just need to learn to screw it" she added smugly.

"Shakespeare literally never said that" Damon said frowning.

"You would know" Elena chimed. "You two must have been best friends back in the days" she added mocking him on his age. For a second, there was shock on his face. "Shakespeare is two centuries older than me and for the love of God stop taking jibes at my age." He said narrowing his eyes.

They started arguing. While they continued taking playful jibs at each other Jenna couldn't help but notice how Elena's eyes shone in adoration as she stared at the Ripper. How she would cup one side of his face as they talked. No, it wasn't adoration. Jenna realized. It was love. Her eyes shone with love as she bickered with the Ripper vampire.

"Ignore them. They are always like this" Rick said, moving her attention to him.

"Does she come here often?" Jenna couldn't help but ask.

Rick's eyes narrowed. He nodded. "Every weekend" he said. "but surely you must know" he added and Jenna nodded almost too soon.

"Damon!" Rick said snapping the couple out of their bubble. "I thought we were supposed to disclose the news to Mrs. Gilbert today?"

"Uhh" he said looking at Elena.

"What's going on?" Jenna asked, alarmed.

"Jen…Mum…I need to tell you something." Elena started. She knew she was going to regret it. Jenna would bite her head off. But she had to start somewhere.

"I don't know if you know about Blood bond between two vampires" Damon continued.

Jenna stiffened. Of course, she knew. She was the extended family of one of the most old vampire clan.  
"I know" she said in a cold tone glaring at Elena.

"We performed the ritual last month, mum" Elena went for the band aid approach. "Damon is my mate now." She added confidently.

"I am in love with your daughter to the point of madness and I would do everything in my power to keep her happy for the rest of the eternity. I promise you that I will protect her and cherish her forever. You're her family and I know you would want to know about our relationship. We just want your support." He finished.

"Oh God" Jenna said as she drank from her glass. "And you?" she asked Elena.

"He is the love of my life" she said staring at him with utmost adoration and love. "There is no one I rather spend my life with. I love him just as much if not more" she replied waiting for Jenna to burst. Jenna stared at them helplessly before a weak smile formed on her face. She was glad Elena found her love but did the said "love of her life" know she was his enemy's sister.

"I just need a minute to process" she said weakly as she drank. "I knew there was something going on but I didn't knew it was this serious" Jenna yapped. "So you love him?" she asked Elena again. Elena nodded, her grip on Damon's hand under the table tightened.

"I am really sorry for my behavior. It's not that I am not happy. It's just…this is bit surprising" Jenna said trying to compose herself. "because you know vampire bond is kinda a forever type of thing…" she added.

Damon rose from his seat and walked toward hers. He took a seat next to her, turning toward her. "I know it's a big deal. This is a bond that will stay intact as long as we both are alive. You're worried about your daughter. But you need to trust me. I love her just as much as you do. I give you my word that I will keep your daughter happy and safe. I promise you I will continue to love her till the end of time" he said earnestly.

"I…I trust you. I really do" Jenna said hesitantly. "It's not that I don't believe you. I'm happy for you two." She said trying to smile. "but there are complications. Elena has a certain histo.."

"I don't care. I don't care about the past. She is fully mine and that's all I want from her" he replied.

Jenna's eyes darted to Elena. She was now standing behind Damon nervously hands on his shoulders. "Elena? Are you sure about this?"

"I have never been more sure about anything in my life" Elena said, determined.

Jenna nodded understandingly. Elena had made her choice. She chose Damon. She chose Rippers over her family. This was not going to end well. Seeing as the Ripper himself didn't knew about her relationship with Originals. But Jenna supported her niece. She loved the girl to death. She would always support her decisions.

A smile broke on her face. "You have my blessings. I wish you both long happy life and you better keep my daughter happy" she warned Damon. "or you should know that I know how to stake a vampire and I aim better than my son" she warned playfully.

The rest of the dinner passed with pleasant chat. In a while Jenna started questioning Damon. "I have a few questions though. I believe Hon's judgment about you but if it's okay with you…" Jenna asked, back in her aunt mode. "Oh No" Elena said.

"It's okay. I have nothing to hide" he said fairly confident.

"So…how exactly older are you from my daughter?" Jenna asked in a serious tone.

"Umm…six years I am twenty seven" he replied. Jenna narrowed her eyes. "Vampire age?" she asked.

"176 but it's a good thing because the older a vampire the stronger he is" he yapped, slightly nervous. "I would be able to protect her" he listed advantages of his mature age.

Jenna's eyes darted to Elena who was sitting next to him, holding his arm. "Where are your parents?" she demanded. "Dead" Damon replied with a straight face. "Oh" Jenna said looking down. "I am sorry" she added. "Don't be. It was a long ass time ago" he replied.

"Is this your first mating bond?" Jenna asked. "There is only mating bond in a life time so yes. It's my first and last" Damon replied. Rick looked amused watching the women questioning the Ripper chief. At times, Damon replied confidently and at certain question he would stumble. The whole time Elena sat by his side, helping him answer questions. Rick didn't fail to notice how Damon and Elena's bond was already very strong. They talked like they knew each other since forever as if they had been best friends for years. They were so attuned to each other that if one couldn't word their thoughts the other would know exactly what the former wanted to say. Bonnie was right. Their bond was special and this somehow was connected to the mystery regarding Elena.

"Are all your exes alive?" Jenna asked. "Uh…sort of" Damon replied. "What do you mean sort of?" Jenna asked. "I didn't actually have any proper relationship. They were more of…" Damon trailed off. "pets" Elena completed him, frowning. "but I swear I changed" he said looking at Elena. "I know baby" Elena replied, smiling at his nervousness.

"Edward or Jacob?" Jenna demanded changing the topic. "What has that to do with my relationship with Elena?" Damon asked. "Just answer" Jenna replied rolling her eyes. "Uhh…Jacob I guess" he replied.

"The guy reads Twilight. Are you sure about this?" Jenna said playfully looking at Elena. Rick and Elena let out a mutual chuckle while Damon glared at Jenna.

The questions continued as time passed. When the questions turned to Damon's allergies and what type of bleach he uses in laundry that's when Elena stepped in and put a stop to Jenna's interrogation. After asking Rick to show Jenna her room, Elena held Damon's wrist and dragged him to the roof. "I don't believe I am saying this but your mother is pretty scary for a human" he said. They stepped outside under the open sky, holding hands.

The cool breeze blew her hair and bathed her throat and bare arms deliciously. The sky had been overcast with clouds. He stood behind her encircling her waist and pulling her close to his chest. She instinctively smiled. She smiled looking at the sky. As a child, she always loved rain. Although, she was never allowed to play in rain she still tried her best to sneak and enjoy a small dance in rain.

He released her and stood alongside her enjoying her reactions. Her eyes widened as she scanned the town from the rooftop. She had to admit, it looked beautiful. Mystic Falls at the Ripper's side felt more like home then Mystic Falls at Original's side. The whole town looked like it was submerged in the dense clouds. The streetlights looked like stars that were missing from the sky today.

The light breeze tickled her skin again. She looked at her mate who was admiring the view too. She held his arm and moved closer to him. Everything was so much more beautiful when he was around. The scenery, the weather, the light breeze, nothing would matter if it weren't for him. He made everything more beautiful with his very presence. As if he knew she was looking at him, his eyes darted to hers, puzzled by her gaze. "What?" he asked.

She shook her head, smiling and looked away, slightly embarrassed that she got caught ogling him. She looked up at the sky. "The scene is enchanting" she complemented the view from his roof top.

"It's okay" he said, not impressed. "You're twice more enchanting and beautiful. You're way more beautiful than the summer sky or the waning moon." He complemented. She let out a small chuckle, her cheeks warming up, turning red. " Is that the inner artist speaking again?" she said as her brows rose. He nodded with a slight smirk.

She wanted to keep the muse and not take it in humor right now. She wanted to remain consumed in the moment as he was.

Leaning on the reeling, he scanned his town. His pride. His kingdom. Soon, he would take over the Original's side too if his plans worked. He had always been responsible. He took immense care of things that belonged to him. His town, his friends and his girl.

"You really love this place. Don't you?" she asked, starting another conversation.

"Of course, I do. I grew up here. Mystic Falls is my home. Who doesn't love home?" he replied shrugging.

"So, you wouldn't want a life outside here" she asked, sadly. She didn't want to spend the rest of her eternity in a small town. "No, I don't. Everything I love is right here" he replied, passionately. "Like?" she asked, brows furrowed. "Like my family, my clan and you" he replied.

Elena let out a chuckle. "so everything?"

"Everything" he replied, smiling.

"Tell me more" she demanded as she allowed him to hold her by waist. "You see that building right there" he pointed at a building a little further near the forest.

"The shopping mall?" she asked.

"Hmmm…Well, there used to be a mango garden over there. After lessons, Stefan and I, along with our human friends would go down there and we would climb up the trees and steal mangoes"

"Why? Were you…"

"No we weren't poor. We actually owned a very large state and multiple businesses. We just did it for fun. You know what they say stolen fruit is the sweetest" he said with a slight chuckle.

"It's not like we had Xbox back when I was a child" he said in a dream like tone. "I actually had an amazing childhood even though my mother died when I was only two." He added. He pointed at the direction of clock tower. "There used to be a water spring right there. Everyone would take a dip there to cool off after a very hectic routine" he added. "It was also the most famous gossip point" he added.

"You too?" she asked looking up at him.

"Well everyone except me. I had a cat like dermis reaction to water back then. I went eeeep with a splash" he replied almost embarrassed with the memory. And the very idea to be in the same water as men from the rest of the town terrified me" he added with disgust.

"Why?" she laughed.

"Because it's disgusting. I literally cringe thinking of all the germs and feces and don't even get me started on people who pee in pool." He continued grumbling making her laugh at certain points. He shared more stories from his childhood while she gazed at him. He was so full of life. She loved that about him.

"There was this one time when Stefan and I were playing hide and seek—" he got interrupted when the sky thundered, and then lightning strobed. A light drizzle started falling from the sky, soaking them. He held her hand ready to zoom back under the cover. "Wait! It will clear up" she said, stopping him.

She looked up at the dark sky, trying to squeeze open her eyes. "Uhh! Ahh! Let's go down." He said frowning. She ignored him and smiled at the sky. "What's the rush?"

"See this" he pointed at his jacket frowning. "I am wearing GUESS. It's not made for this sort of weather" he insisted.

Elena let out a chuckle. "It's like you're the male version of my best friend Caroline"

His mouth fell open and his eyes narrowed playfully. Before he could retort she continued. "It's the first rain of the season."

"I hate rain. Reminds me funerals…doom and gloom" he said, scrunching his nose.

"It's all about perspective. I've always loved rain. I love the pattering of raindrops, the rushing wind even its fragrance. I use to have an obsession with bathing in rain. You say it reminds you of doom and gloom but to me rain is the purest form of life. Rain is like poetry; each drop is a single letter in the song of life. Try to look at it my way…enjoy it" she said as closed her eyes and smiled welcoming the droplets to fall on her face. He grinned slightly and mimicked her. It wasn't that bad. She was right. The slight swoosh swoosh was comforting sound. And the smell wasn't bad as well.

She peeked to see him. His eyes were closed, he had a small smile on his face. The drops slid down his handsome face and soaked his clothes. "Now whenever it rains, you will remember that we were here and we were happy." She murmured very softly.

She didn't know what tomorrow would do to her. Keep her secrets or expose her. Her life had been one hell of a roller-coaster lately. There was a possibility that she wouldn't share this moment ever again with him. Tears rose in her eyes, and spilled down her cheeks, lost as they mixed with raindrops. She didn't want to lose him. God she didn't. She couldn't survive it. His ocean blue eyes opened and glistened with love at the sight of her.

"Oh Elena, I love you to death" he confessed linking his fingers with hers. She smiled instantly. "I love you too" she replied. His face broke into a smile. She heard his dead heart skip a beat. This was his reaction every time she said that. Every time it affected him just like the first time. "Always and forever" she added. Sadly, she didn't know how long will that be.

She couldn't run from the threat forever. Especially when the threat was her true love. There was a possibility that he would order her to be put down if he found out how she was linked to Originals. And she wouldn't blame him if he did. She was after all the enemy. She had lied to him over and over again during the course of their relationship. There didn't go a day when she haven't at least lied to him once.

But amidst all the lies there was a truth. A truth she knew wasn't going to be enough for him to forgive her. And that truth was the fact that she loved Damon Salvatore, her enemy, immensely. And even if he hated Elena Michelson he would know that "his Elena" loved him purely and she would continue to do so. And that even he kills her, her love for him would stay immortal. She wanted to shout it. Ask him. Beg him to love her forever. So she did. "Promise me this is forever?"

Was that even a question? He thought as he bit his lip. He was bound to her. He would love her forever no matter what happens. She was his forever and he was hers. For goodness sake they were in mating bond, a bond so sacred and pure, only for true lovers. But even if he wasn't in the mating bond he would say what he said next "I promise"

A smile broke on her face. Drops trickled down her lashes, cheeks to her lips. He lent in and covered her mouth with his. The rain poured down, and thunder began a slow deep roll but they didn't care. He slipped his hands into her damp hair, framing her face while he kissed her fiercely. Rain poured down as they poured out their love for each other.

* * *

When he rushed her downstairs. She thought he wanted to make love to her but instead he took her to his art room. "What…" she trailed off when he made her sit on stool. "I want to draw you like this" he said with a beam.

He picked up a sketch board and set it on the frame. "But I am all soaked up and my makeup is smeared" Elena protested.

"You look perfect and natural." He replied nonchalantly.

"Damon! My hair looks ridiculous" Elena complained.

"It's ridiculous because I made it that way" he replied, reminding her of the frenzy make out session upstairs a minute ago. He picked up a conte' and drew an outline. "Do I have to sit still?" she asked, nervously.

"No! I have drawn you multiple times and I've touched every square inch of you. I can manage" he replied concentrating on filling the outline. His eyes darted from the board to her. "Should I smile?" she asked, confused.

He smirked. "Sure"

She sat on the chair and straightened her spine. He picked up a felt tip pen and drew the bridge of her nose. He erased it and drew it again. This went on for quite a while. He had drawn her so many times that now his hands knew what type of shape he wanted to draw. His hands built the rhythm and he started drawing her perfectly. He drew her delicious lips next. Not perfect. He erased it and drew again. He cursed in a hushed whisper when his third attempt failed.

"It's not a big deal" Elena said as he saw him stressed.

"It's a big deal for me. You're perfection and I have to sketch you perfectly" he replied. She knew his anger wasn't direct to her. He was a perfectionist and he strived for the best. His inability to capture what he wanted was what frustrated him. God knows why he saw her as someone with no flaws. Elena thought. He silently scribbled. This time the shape of the lips came out right.

His eyes scanned her disheveled damp brunette locks that gently caressed its way down her neck, reaching to just above her hips. He sketched every single detail. And finally came his favorite part—her eyes.

Alluringly, she would blink her eyes from time to time, allowing her eyelashes to flutter. "Are you done?" she asked, impatiently. "No" he answered for the umpteenth time. Spellbinding. He thought as he drew the highlight first and then the pupil. He filled in the lashes and drew the inner circle of her eyes with darker shade.

His eyes darted to hers as she tried to sit still. "Are you done?"

"No, Baby" he replied.

He dropped the pencil in the toolbox and smudged the dark shade with a tortollion. He used his thumb to even the dark shade at the corner of her eyes. Not perfect at all. Not the master piece her eyes were. He could never do them justice. After what felt like hours he finally declared her sketch to be completed. She gracefully stood on her feet and walked toward him as he scanned for errors in his imperfect work.

"This is amazing" Elena said in an awe. "You even made my medusa-like hair sexy" she squealed in delight.

"You like it?" he asked.

"I love it" she replied. "It's beautiful. It's flawless. I'm not sure if I am as beautiful as your sketch shows" she replied amazed by his sketching skills.

"You look exactly like that to me. Exceptionally beautiful and flawless" he replied. In his eyes, she was flawless. His eyes shone with love for her. She lightly touched her sketch. Did he really see her like that? This is why she loved him so madly. He didn't just love her. He made her feel that who she was , was more than enough. He made her feel special. He made her feel like she was the only one he could see. To her that was very special.

"I want to draw you someday too but I suck at drawing. Would you teach me how to sketch?" she said, admiring her sketch. "Of course. Anything my girl wants-she gets" he said, beaming. She turned to him and circled her arms around his neck. "Do you even know how madly I am in love with you?" she said kissing the corner of his lips.

"Not enough" he replied. "I want more...so much more...all of it" he added.

" Let me show you how much I do" she said in a seductive tone. With that said she pushed him against the nearest wall and captured his lips in a hungry passionate kiss.

* * *

Jenna waited for her "daughter" to come down. It shouldn't be surprise to her that Elena was sharing room with her mate. She ignored the hushed giggles coming from upstairs. She had no idea how Elena planned to work it all out. She was digging herself a deep grave.

"Mrs. Gilbert?" Alaric's voice startled her.

"Please call me Jenna" she said kindly.

"Don't hold your breath. They won't come down until afternoon" he replied with a slight smirk. "So, How is your husband doing? Damon never once mentioned Elena's father" he added, nonchalantly.

"John died a few years back" she replied looking away.

"You have been alone ever since" Rick asked, sympathetically. He knew how it felt to lose your life partner. At times he thought of killing himself but he knew his Jo would never want him to kill himself.

"Well…I had my son" Jenna said looking down, sadly. "and your daughter" Rick added. Jenna looked up slightly alarmed. "Yes, and my daughter"

"You are from Denver?"

"Richmond. We shifted to Denver after my sister…got married" Jenna cursed herself at the slip of tongue. What was wrong with her?

"I know it's not my place to ask but I am just merely curious. I mean seeing as all your family is human. Why did you have Elena turn to vampire?" Alaric jumped to the question he wanted to ask the minute the woman arrived. Besides this was the main reason they had invited Jenna in the first place. So they could search more about Elena's family history.

"She was very fatally ill" Jenna lied looking down. This wasn't Elena's story. This was Isobel's story but Jenna guessed this could work. She couldn't just come up with any story at the spot. "I couldn't bear losing my child. My sister was a researcher. She knew about mystical creatures. She somehow tracked a vampire and begged him to turn my daughter. He did it because he was my husband's friend" Jenna explained.

"Who was that vampire? Are you still in contact with him?"

"Why is that important?" Jenna said, uneasily.

"It's important because she is Damon's mate. She is one of us. We have to know who her creator is" Alaric insisted.

"I don't know" Jenna lied. "He compelled us to forget his name and whereabouts"

"Why would he do that?" Alaric asked, eyes narrowed.

That didn't make sense. Nothing about that girl, Elena, ever made sense. She came from a human family but she was a vampire. She couldn't feed like normal vampires and at times she acted strangely. She refused to be a part of their clan but she accepted being Damon's mate. And now her mother was confusing him further.

"Is Elena really your daughter?" Alaric asked, after a second.

"What kind of question is that? Of course, she is my daughter" Jenna spat. "I didn't mean to offend you" Rick said, alarmed. "Well you did offend me" she said as she span around and went back to the rest room.

Alaric looked at her until she disappeared. Something about that woman made him uncomfortable. She was definitely hiding something and he had a feeling he wasn't going to like it.

* * *

Stefan scanned through men shirts and nearly huffed when he didn't find anything he liked. "This will look perfect on Nick" he heard a delighted squeal.

His eyes darted to the woman and widened in amusement. He recognized the blonde girl immediately. She was Damon's mate best friend. He knew because he had chased her out of the town the night Elena showed up. She was still alive. Didn't the blonde beauty crossed the "Original" border.

"Hello there" he said in his most flirty tone.

The girl's eyes darted from the navy blue shirt to the man. She gasped. She did recognize him. He smirked. "You're my brother's mate best friend. Aren't you?"

"Huh"

"Elena's friend? You and Elena crossed our territory three months ago." He reminded her.

The girl stiffened. "Your brother's mate…"

"Look! You don't need to pretend. I know you recognize me. Now I know we didn't start on a good note but you're pretty and I am single so let's start over" he said giving her his most attractive smile.

She gulped and took a step back. "Darling, you don't need to be scared. Your best friend is literally our Queen now. As her friend I won't lay a finger on you." He said as he stepped closer. "What was your name again? Caroline? She mentions you a lot"

"I…I…" she stepped back. A Ripper was in front of her. A Ripper recognized her. Screw that, Elena was bonded to a Ripper. "Shit! Shit!" She thought frantically.

"How about we go for a drink? I want to apologize for my brute behavior a few months back" he insisted.

"How about you stay the fuck away from my sister in law?" A voice snarled before pulling him from behind and throwing him against the wall.

Rebekah stepped in front of Caroline, fuming. Stefan snarled at her. "Original whore"

"Ripper trash" she hissed. "How dare you even look at my sister in law? I will shred you into pieces you scum" she spat as she blocked his view of Caroline, protectively. Yes, she and Caroline had differences and arguments. But she loved the girl immensely. She was Nick's happiness and that made her important for her as well.

"Sister in law?" Stefan's eyes widened.

"What's going on here?" Marcel said as he appeared. "Ripper" Marcel snarled as he looked at Stefan. He hated the man with passion. "Did he attack you? Sweetheart" Marcel asked Rebekah as he scanned her for any sort of damage. "No, he was flirting with Caroline"

"Does he have a death wish?" Marcel said glaring at still very thunderstruck Stefan. "Apparently so" Rebekah said as she glared at the man who had once mercilessly broken her heart.

"Sir! Madam! Is everything okay?" a salesman asked as he rushed to them. That's when they realized they had gained spectators.

Marcel wanted to stake the man. He had the guy cornered. He and Rebekah could kill him easily. He knew Klaus would be glad but they had too much audience. With a shake he grunted "No"

"Care bear! Are you okay?" Rebekah asked, looking at her distressed sister in law. Caroline forced a nod. "We can shop somewhere else then" Rebekah declared as she made a motion to leave.

Stefan rose up on his feet and watched the Original vampires leave. His mind raced. Elena was Caroline's best friend. And Caroline happened to be Klaus or Kol's wife. He snapped out of his thoughts when the manager asked him if he was okay.

He compelled the man to leave him alone and left the shop.

His thoughts continued where they left. That night both the girls had crossed borders. Were they on any mission from Klaus? Elena was Caroline's best friend wasn't she? Was she from the ORIGINALS too? Was she a spy this whole time? Like…Like Katherine had been? Was the girl using his brother? So many possibilities. He had to inform his brother now.

* * *

Caroline dropped on bed and covered her face with her hands. No. No. No. This can't be real. She thought. Elena wouldn't do that. She can't. "Care! Please tell me what's wrong? Rebekah asked again.

Her sister in law had been chipper all the way from Mystic Falls to Richmond. Klaus's birthday was coming up and both she and Caroline had planned a huge party. After the encounter with Stefan, Caroline had been awfully quiet which worried Rebekah because Caroline was never the quiet one.

"Listen Care, You don't need to be scared. You're a part of Originals now. You're our Queen. We would die before we let anything happen to our Queen." Rebekah promised.

Caroline let out a weak smile, nodding. "Now give me that 440 volt smile" Rebekah ordered. Caroline beamed weakly. "That's my bitch" she snickered. "I will get you someone to feed on. Maybe that will cheer you up" she said as she raced down the hall.

Caroline curled her fists and looked up. "Ripper's mate" she thought. Oh No!

She couldn't hide this from Klaus anymore. She had to inform him of the situation. Elena mate's brother knew that she was an Original. He must have made the connection. They could kill Elena. She picked up her phone and called Klaus. His number was busy.

Caroline rose up and paced around. She dialed Elena's number. She was directed straight to voice mail. "Honey, Come home now. The blonde Ripper knows who I am, please? And…and how can you perform the mating bond with the Ripper chief. Are you insane? I am sorry but I can't hide this from Nick anymore…I have to tell him this." She recorded her message.

She redialed Klaus's number again. Busy again.

She called Elena. "Please please call me" she said in between sobs.

What if Elena was dead? What if the ripper had informed his brother? These thought tortured her.

Her phone chimed. She instantly answered without checking the caller.

"Nick?" she said.

* * *

 **Next chapter:**

"She burnt down the forest. I am sure it was her Damon" Stefan snarled at Elena. "because she is one of the Originals" he added.

"No! No! No! Damon, I didn't" she said as she hugged him hiding her face in his chest. "I didn't. He is lying" Elena pleaded.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Elena ran toward the boundary line. She had to get there fast. She needed to. This was all her fault. She cursed herself for lying that day. For crossing the boundary that day. Now she had done it. She had become the cause of the deadly war between two ruthless vampire clans.

Her breathing became harsh once she smelled her brother's scent in the air. He was close. Life escaped through her when she smelled " _ **his**_ " fragrance too.

* * *

 **Yes, we are this close to the prologue scene guys!**

 **I hope you liked the chapter. I know the updates are slow but I have been busy with exams. Anyho, Please review and let me know if you liked the chapter!**

With that being said please check out my girl "Salvatoreboys4ver"' new story "Our New Beginning"

Brilliantly written and amazingly worded. It's about Delena's human life.

 **Don't forget to review!**

 **Please?**


	18. A lie has no legs

Chapter 17

* * *

 **One hour ago, Mystic Falls—The Rippers.**

Jenna always had a bad habit of snooping around. After carefully ditching the old vampire who wouldn't stop questioning her she decided to check out Elena's mate house. She entered a dark room and turned the lights on. Unlighted candelabra's were scattered around the room. There were dozens of portraits that adorned the wall. They were of varying sizes and suffocated every square inch of the walls. They consisted of beautiful sketches. Some of scenery, some religious sketches, some of tall buildings but what caught Jenna's attentions was a pair of familiar eyes that were sketched to utmost perfection. She knew the owner of those eyes. Elena.

And it weren't just her eyes, Elena's beautiful sketches adorned walls. Her admirer had sketched every last detail to her. Jenna turned around and walked toward a white canvas on stand vector. She gasped. This sketch was a master piece. Her fingers traced the fine lines of the sketch. "Wow" she murmured. Elena was seated on a stool. Her shoulders were exposed from the cold shoulder shirt and her hair fell on down her back. They were messy and drawn in a way as if wet. But it still looked alluring and seductive. A small smile was playing on the sketch Elena's lips. Sketch Elena had no flaws. She was perfect. Even more so than real Elena.

"Beautiful…Isn't it?" A female voice nearly started Jenna. She span around only to find her niece standing behind her. Jenna nodded. "But it's not me, Jenna" Elena said, sadly. Jenna narrowed her eyes. "This is you" Jenna replied her niece. "No, Jenna, this isn't me. Beauty lies in eye of beholder. Damon sees me someone as flawless as this" she said looking at her sketch. "This is his version of me. I'm completely flawless in his eyes. When reality is completely different" Elena replied tracing her sketch with her fingers. She was thinking of all the lies she had said to Damon till now.

"Some of these sketches are from two years ago" she revealed. Jenna opened her mouth to speak. "but you met…"

"Yes, I met him three months ago" Elena replied smiling as if reminiscing the time. "He used to see me in dreams. He use to have visions of me. See those sketches of my eyes…he sketched them whenever he saw me in his dreams. Bonnie, the witch says it's the call of the blood. We were meant to be. My blood was calling for its mate, making it aware of my presence" Elena explained. "I was made for him and he for me" she replied shaking her head and smiling.

"If it was meant to be you wouldn't have been born enemies Honey" Jenna replied. She sat on the stool next to Elena. "Falling in love isn't a crime, Jen. I love him so much" she replied, tears trailing down her cheeks.

"I know" Jenna replied. She felt sympathy for her niece. Elena was torn. She was desperately in love with the Ripper but it looked like she was tired of her double life. Seeing Damon's version of her had broken her already guilty fragile heart. To him she was in embodiment of innocence while the reality was completely different. The truth was that she—Elena Michelson belonged from ORIGINALS. A clan hated by almost all supernatural races.

"You can't keep lying forever Honey" Jenna said stroking her arm. "I don't plan to" Elena said wiping the corners of her eyes. "I am going to tell Damon everything" she said, determined. "I can't lie to him anymore" she said stifling a sob. "He doesn't deserve this" she said looking down. "What if he…" Jenna trailed off. " What if he kills me for being an ORIGINAL?" Elena completed with a humorless chuckle. "I should have died the night I crossed the border. It's been a long time coming" she added.

Jenna shook her head at the thought. No. The Ripper wouldn't hurt her. Jenna knew that. It was in the way he looked at Elena. He looked at her with so much love it was palpable. It was the kind of love that people would die for.

"And Nick?"

"I love my brother. I can't see the disappointment in his eyes. I know he could never hate me but he would resent me for the rest of his life" Elena flinched at the thought. "but he doesn't deserve this. I can't cheat him too. I love him just as much as I love Damon. I am going to tell him everything too" she decided.

"It's my fault…I should have told Nick the second the Ripper boy left you on my doorstep first time" Jenna said shaking her head. "No. No. don't blame yourself Jenna" Elena said leaning on Jenna's shoulder. "I don't regret anything. I met the love of my life. My soul mate. I met Damon. I got to experience the type of love people would kill to experience. But it's like they say all good things have to come to an end" she said with wiping the stray tears that were streaming down her cheeks.

"It doesn't have to end. Maybe, the Ripper would forgive you. Maybe, they will sort out some agreements. The Ripper would never hurt you ,Honey. I see it in his eyes. That man is madly head over heels for you" Jenna said, optimistic. A part of her wanted to stop Elena from confessing the truth. But it needed to be done.

"Maybe." Elena replied, shrugging. "He has a heart of gold. He can forgive people that wronged him. Unlike my siblings who believes in the philosophy of _an eye for an eye_ " Elena replied. "I have said dreadful things to him before. I have literally shattered his heart a lot of times before and he still managed to forgive me. Maybe…just maybe he will forgive me this time too" she said, a flicker of hope in her eyes.

"He would…" Jenna confirmed.

"Where is Mr. I will keep your daughter happy forever though?" Jenna asked, changing the topic.

"Down in his study" Elena replied.

"Honey…"

"Huh"

"If it comes down to Nick and Damon, who would you choose?" Jenna asked checking out the sketch on stand. Elena wanted to say Damon. She would choose Damon. She he was his mate. Her mate should be her top priority right? But she couldn't say it. Something was stopping her.

 _Your first choice should always be your family. If it comes down to anything, no matter what your opposing choice maybe, we will choose family first._ Klaus's words rang in her ears, disabling her to answer. She felt a heavy weight on her chest. Something was seriously wrong. Why couldn't she say Damon's name?

Jenna didn't need her to answer though. It was written all over Elena's face. Jenna nodded ,understanding her answer before Elena could ever say it.

* * *

Damon was working on his final strategy against ORIGINALS. "This is the time when the guards change" Tyler said. "If we take the route from the cellars. There will be about 40 guards over—" he stopped pointing at a cross on the map. "-they are all above 500 years though. We would need a witch to hold them off for one minute. One minute is all we need to take positions. I will lead my pack and shred them all to pieces. Enzo would join us once we are done…" he trailed off when Elena entered holding a tray.

Damon's eyes darted up and instantly softened. The cold focused chief look gone from his face. "What brings you here, Sunshine?" he said as she came closer. Usually, Elena kept far away from wherever he was working with his clan. She didn't try to make friends or socialized in Rippers at all. Also, she didn't like it when he schemed for war. So, for her to come down to his study was surprising.

"Ummm…Lexi said you haven't had breakfast so…I…" she trailed off, showing him the tray. "I made you breakfast" she said shyly. His heart gave a great leap at the surprise of it, the joy of it. "You did?" he said as she placed the tray on his study table.

"Fried chicken sandwich with spicy mayo" she said sweetly. "and I made enough for all of you" she added warmly to his friends…or as Elena called them minions.

"Thanks baby." He replied, grinning as he sat on the chair and set his napkin. "You're so caring and amazing" he added as he picked it up. The bread looked slightly burned from downside. Then it hit him. Elena barely knew anything about kitchen. The girl couldn't differentiate between sugar and salt. How on earth did she manage to cook chicken and make sandwiches?

His friends had already took their seats and picked up their sandwiches. Something told him these sandwiches were going to taste worse than blood bags and those blood bags tasted awful. _But this is the first time she made something for you. It will break her heart if you refuse to eat the monstrosity that she calls sandwich."_ These thoughts ran through his mind in those two brief seconds. Oh! Things he did for love. He thought as he took a bite.

Just as he suspected. It tasted horrible. The chicken was under-cooked, the bread was burnt and the mayo she used was the one that had expired a month ago, the very one he had forgotten to throw out. The sandwich tasted like feet. An old woman's feet. He thought.

His eyes shifted to his friends who looked like they were restraining from throwing up. He glared at them, warning them with his eyes to not say anything slightly unpleasant.

"How is it?" Elena asked, smiling warmly.

"Amazing baby" he replied. "Seriously, how are you perfect at everything?" he added, complementing.

"It's my first time—cooking" she confessed, smiling shyly.

"No kidding" Enzo said as he swallowed with much effort.

"Is something wrong?" Elena asked him.

"Can I get a glass of water? Baby Vamp" Damon interrupted before Enzo could say anything. "It's kinda spicy" he added weakly. "Sure" Elena replied as she zoomed outside.

"Your girl can't cook." Tyler said as he shoved the sandwich back on the plate.

"If I have my way I will ban her from all the kitchens across the globe" Enzo said as mimicked Tyler.

"Eat it all now" Damon ordered.

"I rather drink vervain" Enzo replied. "I said eat it…she worked very hard on it and it will hurt her feelings if we don't finish it" Damon ordered. "I don't care about her feelings" Enzo snarled. "then you wouldn't mind if I cut your balls off and shove it down your throat. Would you?" he hissed back. "that's what I thought now eat it before…" he trailed off when he heard Elena's footsteps drew nearer.

She entered the study again, her hair swooshing with every step she took. She handed him the water, smiling. Something was off. He could feel it in her emotions. "I need to talk to you…It's really important" she said nervously.

"Tyler" he said and Tyler understood immediately. He rose up, offering Elena his seat. "Alone" Elena added. "Can you give us a few minutes?" he said without looking at Enzo. _"_ Don't forget to take your sandwiches" he reminded them with hidden smirk.

Once they were out, he circled his arms around her and brought her to his lap.

"Where is Jenna?" he asked nuzzling her neck.

"Left" she replied, savoring his love one last time. "Ohh…you should have called me before she left" he said.

"I didn't want to disturb you" she replied looking down.

In truth, Elena had given Jenna enough time to leave before she decided to finally reveal her truth to Damon. She was shaking slightly in nervousness. He could sense anxiety in her emotions.

"Baby Vamp, You're nervous" he stated, eyes narrowing. "Is something wrong?" he asked, anxious to know what caused his mate to be so distressed. Her emotions were always as a mess. One minute she was all happy and the next minute she was sad, distressed and guilty. She was hiding something. He knew but he didn't want to pressure her.

"I am going to tell you something that might change your perspective about me forever" she said getting up from his lap and walking toward the other end of the table. He was a bit puzzled by her behavior. He didn't like the sad look on her face. Were they finally having the awkward ex talk? He rose up. He wanted to wipe away the look of extreme fear from her eyes. Why was she so afraid? He thought. Nothing she said would make any difference in their relationship. He didn't give a fuck about her ex? He decided to put a smile on her face regardless of her rigid emotions.

"You were a man first and you did a sex change surgery before we met" he replied.

Her eyes rose up. "What? No! Of course not!" she replied taken aback. How the hell did he come up with that?

"Well! If not that then anything you say next won't matter much I don't care about your past." He assured her. A small smile surfaced on her face. "Do you remember the first time we met?" she started.

"Ahh…the first time we met. I bet no couple in the world could have the same story as us" he yapped. "You are the most craziest wicked yet hot woman I have ever met…" he continued.

"The first time I met you made me want to laugh, you made me angry and you made me want to tear your clothes off all at the same time. You drove me insane" he completed with a huff. She laughed a bit at his explanations. "and then there was this time when I almost snapped and decided to kidnap…"he continued yapping as she smiled at him, forgetting her firm resolve on telling him the truth.

She loved how his eyes sparkled with life when he talked. He was so full of life and so full of stories and wonderful ideas. He was very passionate and damn gorgeous. She thought. She leaned in and stole a kiss silencing him for a moment. For a second she noticed his face cover in a very slight blush before he smirked at her.

"How do you do that?" she asked. "What?" he replied puzzled. "How are you always so full of life? How can you always be so happy?" she asked as she traced his jaw with her fingers. "I want to be like you…optimistic like you…passionate like you…" she added.

"You are like me" he replied beaming. "Well…not as hot as I am but you're just as arrogant, compassionate and passionate as I am. Your only drawback is your lack of confidence." He replied holding her wrists bringing to his lips. "But seriously how are you always so happy?" she asked. "Your emotions…they keep me calm" she added, shyly admitting that she liked to attune herself to his emotions for comfort.

"You make me that way…you make me happy" he said cupping one of her cheek. She beamed at him and he returned her smile. "You make me happy too"

"and you two make me barf" Enzo said as he entered the study holding a phone. It had been like this for two weeks. Their relationship had turned from dirty talk l to mushy love and it was becoming unbearably cheesy. Residents of the Boarding house missed the good old days when the couple would spend more time shouting at each other rather declaring undying love to each other all the time.

He handed the phone to Damon with a glare, muttering something about "their vomit inducing love story". "It's Stefan" he said.

Damon took the phone from him, letting one of Elena's wrist go. "Hello" he said. "I can't hear you Stefan I am in the basement…what girl?...Stefan I can't hear a thing" Damon said as he walked out of the room. Elena followed him. Her phone beeped indicating she had received a voice mail. She walked back to Damon's bedroom leaving Damon to talk to his brother alone in the living room.

"Two missed calls from Care-Bear" she read before she pressed the button to hear the voice mail.

* * *

 **Present time, Mystic Falls—The Originals.**

"Hello Nick" Caroline said as a sob escaped her.

"It's me… Honey" Elena replied.

"Ohh…Honey…Thank God you're okay. Oh God…The Ripper saw me with Rebekah and Marcel when I was shopping for Nick's birthday gifts. He knows I am one of Originals. If you're with the Rippers, you got to get out of there." Caroline instructed. "I can send Nick and rest of the boys here for your help" she added.

"No…No...Don't ,Care. Don't you dare"

"We can't keep lying to them Honz. And…the Ripper…he said that you performed the ritual with the…Is it true?" she managed to choke. _Please say no. Please._

"Yes" Elena admitted. "I did. I am in love with him Care" she added.

Caroline didn't answer. She was far too gone. This was war now. And it was all her fault. She started this. "Listen Care, I need to see you now. You're right. I can't keep lying anymore. But this is really sensitive. I want to mentally prepare Nick before I drop the bomb on him. I don't want him to go on his rage rampage. I don't want people to die because of me. Please…Please help me" she begged.

"What were you thinking Elena?" Caroline finally broke her silence. "A Ripper...how could you?" she added.

"I will tell you everything. Can you meet me at the mall in Richmond in about an hour?" Elena begged.

Caroline didn't answer immediately. She knew Elena was calling her to Richmond to convince her. Damn Michelsons could really be convincing when they wanted to do. "Please, Care…you have to understand" Elena begged. "I don't think Bex will let me go alone" Caroline said in a hushed tone. She still haven't come out of the shock. "Care—" she stopped, Caroline heard aloud sound in the background before the call dropped.

* * *

She was talking to Caroline when she heard loud voices from downstairs. "Stefan! What the hell…" she could hear Damon huff at Stefan. "Would you tell me what the fuck is going through your head? He added when Stefan didn't reply.

"Where is she?" Stefan growled as he broke something...something wooden. Elena's eyes narrowed as she went out of the room and leans down the railing of the staircase.

Stefan's eyes shot up to match hers. He let out an animistic growl as he broke the leg of the chair and flashed in front of her. Elena backed away. He instantly shoved her against a wall, making her cry out in pain. Her phone fell from her hand.

She could hear Damon shouting loudly. Stefan didn't hesitate though. In a mini second one of his hand thrust into her chest and reached for her heart. She felt her breath got caught.

* * *

Alaric and Bonnie had been searching for Jo's old spell books. Rick had given those books to Bonnie when she first came and she kept them safe like a treasure in the Boarding house library. Rick had come in the morning and ordered her to find a very specific old spell book of his late mate.

"Maybe it's just another coincidence, Rick" Bonnie said as she scanned another spell book. "Haha…Exactly, too many coincidences. It's suspicious. And something tells me that woman isn't Elena's real mother" Rick said as he studied the book he had just opened.

"Think about it Bonnie. She was turned five years ago. On the same year when the great comet orbited the sun seven hundredth time. And I bet all my American assets that the girl is a Petrova. She had never killed. She had never drink from a living source. All these point to one spell" he stopped.

"How are you so sure she is a Petrova?" Bonnie said as she opened another book.

"The call of the blood. Damon use to see her in dreams. It wasn't just her blood that was calling her mate. It was the magic in her blood that were causing the dreams, making him aware of her before they were even aware of each other's existence." He stopped.

"but magic is only limited to witches. Elena is a vampire."

"A vampire with a pure soul. She had never force fed from anyone and neither did she ever kill. Her soul is still pure. Her blood still possess magic but she can't harness it because she is still a blood drinking creature." He said as he studied the book.

"Is this what you're looking for?" Bonnie said as she showed him a very ancient book.

Rick's eyes widened and relief washed over him. He nodded and eagerly took the book from her. "For a very brief time Jo and I considered performing this spell. It allows vampires to procreate. Albeit their offspring could end up being the worst kind of creature the world had ever seen even worse than fucking Originals"

"Then why didn't you?"

"It required for my mate to be a vampire and Jo refused to turn" he replied studying the spell deeply. "Also it's a legend…There is a chance this is total crap" he added.

"It says the spell requires a female vampire that had never killed or force fed." Bonnie read over his shoulder. Just like Elena. She thought. "requires a spell during the time of turning of the female vampire and it can only be performed when a witch harness power from cosmic ball that revolves in Oort cloud…" she read.

"Hmm…like the centuries old great comet" Alaric made the connection.

"The vampire can only reproduce with her mate that she chose herself…so it requires selfless true love…" she added. "Mating bond…Damon didn't force mating bond on Elena like most vampires do. He asked her to leave if she didn't want it. He was in pain but he still put her first. His love was selfless. And Elena… she offered him her blood first. She offered to perform the ritual first…her love was selfless too" she made the connection.

"So if my assumption is right and Elena is indeed a Petrova then…then that means we will be expecting a baby soon" Alaric said as he dropped on the couch.

Bonnie beamed. She didn't see anything wrong with the news. "and what's wrong in that?" she said, sitting next to him.

"You don't understand Bonnie. It would be too strong for anyone to handle. It could turn out to be an abomination. Too much power is never good. And let's not forget. How would we explain it to the vampire council? They would insist on killing the creature. All our friends clans would leave us. This is not a very good thing in a time when we are already on verge of war with the bloody Originals" he said with a deep sigh.

"and to top it all off, I don't think it's a coincidence that all requirements for the spell are complete. It's not a coincidence that Elena Petrova can't drink from humans. It's not a coincidence that the Petrova girl didn't kill anyone even in the initial years of her transformation. It's not a coincidence that the girl got turned in the year when the great comet orbited the sun of the seven hundredth time. Someone had been planning this game for years, Bon." He concluded.

A loud crash diverted their attention to the living room. "What's going on?" Bonnie said. Alaric shrugged. They both sprinted toward the living room to find the cause of disturbance.

* * *

Damon couldn't hear any voice on phone. All he could hear was "Damon…the girl…Orig…" that was all before the battery of Enzo's phone died. "What was that?" Enzo asked as he took back his phone. Damon took out his phone to call back Stefan but just then Stefan's car showed up in driveway.  
"Where is the girl?" Stefan demanded as he zoomed in front of them after parking his car.

"Who?" Damon asked.

"Elena…" Stefan said as he entered the house with his brother and Enzo following him. He broke the first chair that came to his contact. "Stefan what the hell?" Damon shouted. "Would you tell me what the fuck is going through your head? He added when Stefan didn't reply. He broke the chair's arm to make a stake out of it. The girl, Elena was a traitor. She was a spy from Original. Stefan was raging internally.

"WHERE IS SHE?" he demanded.

The stake didn't come out the way he wanted. He broke the chair's leg to make a more pointy stake. How dare she? How dare the girl try to harm his clan and his brother?

Damon looked at him as if he had gone mad. Why was Stefan demanding where his mate was? Was he off his rails? Just than Elena showed up on the staircase, probably to see what all the fuss was about. With a snarl, Stefan flashed up to where she was standing. She backed away as fear coursed through her.

Damon felt the raw fear his mate was feeling. He felt hair stand on his back. His primal instinct to save his mate anesthetized all other senses. Stefan shoved her against the wall. He thrust his hand in her chest and that's when he felt as if something in Damon snapped. In a second, he zoomed to where they were standing and threw him away from her. He vamped out and snarled at his brother to back off.

He turned around to see if his mate was fine. She was breathing harshly as if every breath was tormenting her, causing her pain. Her shirt was filled with blood. The hole in her chest was healing though indicating she was still alive. "You're okay. You're okay" he repeated frantically as took her trembling body in his arms and hid her from his insane brother.

"Are you out of your mind?" he snarled at Stefan. It was taking everything inside him to control his red rage. In the moment, he wanted nothing more than to rip Stefan into pieces.

"The…girl…she works for Originals" Stefan said as he panted.

He stiffened. "What?" he barked.

"Her friend…the girl that entered our territory three months ago…I saw her at the Mall in Richmond with the Original whore Rebekah and her worthless mate. Caroline…Wasn't that her name? Elena" Stefan said as he snarled at the already frightened Elena.

"That's ridiculous...you must have mistaken her for someone else" Damon replied.

"Oh No, Brother. I don't forget faces of the people who had even been slightest threat to my clan. That was most definitely the Caroline girl Elena claims as her best friend" Stefan hissed. "and guess what she isn't just a normal ORIGINAL vampire. She is their queen. Klaus's mate. Make the connection brother. Your mate is Klaus's mate best friend. This girl is obviously their spy and had been sent by Klaus and Caroline to spy on us. She used you Damon. She used your feelin-" before he could complete Elena spoke.

"Are you even listening to yourself?" she snapped at him. Her eyes were filled with fire and hatred as she looked at Stefan. He had just passed his boundaries. She won't allow anyone to question her love for Damon. She was devoted to him. She loved him more than she had ever loved anyone. She wouldn't allow Stefan to ruin it for her.

"Damon is my mate. I would never use him. I love him more than I ever loved anyone. I am devoted to him completely. You can't accuse me of spying on you just because my best friend is an Original's wife. I barely live here. I only come here on weekends to spend time with my boyfriend" she hissed at him.

"So you do admit that your friend is an ORIGINAL?" Stefan spat.

Damon turned around, facing her. Betrayal, hurt and shock coursed through him.

"I have already made myself clear to Damon that I want nothing to do with your war or feuds or your clan. I am still my own self. I can be friends with anyone I want." She replied.

"She is admitting that she was in contact with Originals to your face, Damon." Stefan hissed. "I bet you never knew this crucial piece of information" he added.

"Is it true? Elena" Damon asked, his eyes firm and harsh.

"Are you seriously listening to him? Damon, he had hated me from Day one. He just tried to kill me. He had been threatening me ever since the first time I was here. Do you remember the first time you took me to the Ball, he threatened me that day that he would kill me like a rabid dog. And that's not the only time…he had been verbally threatening every time you were out of earshot" she hissed. She felt guilty a bit. She was driving wedges between two brothers. But she wasn't lying. Stefan had been a dick to her from the start.

Damon's hard stare shifted to his brother. Had he been blind this whole time? Someone was threatening his mate and he never knew. His own brother wanted to harm the one person Damon couldn't live without.

"Smooth! Bitch." Stefan laughed a humorless laugh. "She is even worse than Katherine. Klaus had trained her well. She is distracting you" he added. "You can't play my brother anymore, Girl. We know your truth" Stefan growled at her.

"What truth? Yes, Caroline is my friend…So what?" Elena huffed.

"Stop it" Damon ordered them both in a strong tone. "Damon!" she tugged on his sleeve making him look at her. "I have already made it clear to you before that I want nothing to do with your clan, Right? Didn't I? I can be friends with anyone." She was assuring herself more than she was assuring him.

Was she serious for real? He thought. Haven't he been cleared more than enough time that Originals were his enemies and he hated them. Not once did she mention that her best friend was his enemy's wife. This must be the reason how easily the Original vampires could find her. His girl didn't know that her best friend wanted her dead. He shuddered at the thought as all attacks on Elena flashed before his eyes. No! He won't allow that to happen.

"No! NO! You can't. She is our enemy"

"Your enemy"

With his face red with anger, he slammed his fist to the wall hard enough to break through. "You're my mate and that makes her your enemy too. I forbid you from ever seeing her again and if you do I will stake her" he growled and she backed a few steps.

"Forbid me?" she said with a chuckle. "I think you've got this wrong Damon. You seem to think I take orders from you" she spat.

"You have the audacity to talk back to the chief of Rippers…"Stefan snarled as he took one step toward her.

Damon instantly stood in front of his mate in a protective stance. "I swear to God, Stefan. If you take one step closer I will shred you into pieces" he threatened. "Back off. This is between Elena and me. This is our personal matter" he warned in a cold tone. "No. It's not between you and her. It stopped being a personal matter the second this girl became a threat to my clan" Stefan hissed.

"Who is the chief over here?" Damon asked, taking a deep breathe. Elena could sense storm rage in his emotions. It was not wise to push him just now. "You are" Stefan replied, looking down. "Then let me do my goddamn fucking job"

"Your girl is acquaintances with Originals" Stefan reminded him. "Who knows what she have told him about us till now." He added.

"I didn't tell anything I swear" Elena promised, looking at him. He knew she was telling the truth. "Yes, my best friend is one of the Originals but Care and I have been best friends since college and she just married Kla…"she got cut off by Alaric. "Why didn't you tell us about your friendship with Original girl before? "

"I didn't know I have to give each and every detail about my life to people who I don't even know" she replied. Technically she wasn't lying. She wasn't denying that she knew Caroline. She wasn't just telling them she was more of a part of Originals than Caroline ever was or will be. And why would she? She wasn't stupid. Stefan wanted to kill her for a crime of being acquaintances with an Original. She could only imagine their reaction if they find out about her actual relation. No, this isn't how she wanted to tell Damon about her identity.

"Well you have to" Damon said frowning. "You have to at least tell me about this" he said strictly. "You have no idea the trouble you could get in for having friendly relations with my enemies."

"Is that a threat?" Elena gasped.

"You're getting me wrong, love. Being with me ultimately makes them your enemies. You may not admit but for them you're indeed a part of Rippers. I may forgive you for not telling me this. But they will kill you the instant they find out about your bond to me. They won't take your crap explanation of how you're my mate but not a part of my clan. It's best that you stop being buddies with the Original girl"

"It's for your own safety" he added before she could protest.

"I would want your details about your history with that girl though" he continued. Yes, Elena was his mate but he never compromised on his clan's security. "Seriously?" Stefan barked. "The girl could be a spy" he reminded them. "How can you let her off the hook so easily?"

"Elena is right. She is never here. And during the time she is, she only spends her time with me or studying or her training. It's impossible for her to play double agent from such distance. And let's not forget she is my mate. I trust her completely. Her true loyalties are only to me. Isn't that right, Baby?" he asked. She gave him a quick, tight-lipped smile and nodded.

Of course, Damon trusted her. She was his mate. His better half. He trusted her blindly, loved her so deeply and madly that he never conceived the very idea that she could ever betray him. She was a young vampire. She had no idea about politics. The Original girl must have taken advantage of Elena's naivety. Elena was too innocent for these games.

"You're fucking kidding right?" Stefan asked with a humorless chuckle. What sort of spell had this girl casted on his brother? Couldn't he see the truth laying in front of him? Was he so blinded by the girl's love?

"The clan would never accept her if they find out…" he trailed off when Damon stepped toward him. "They are not going to find" He said aloud enough for everyone in the room to hear. "You can't cover her mistakes" Enzo interrupted finally. To him, the girl shouldn't get a free pass out of punishment just because she was his mate. "Mistake—exactly. She is young. She made a mistake. Everyone does. It's not like she knows our rules. She will learn with time" he said in resolved tone.

"Rick! Knock some sense into this guy" Stefan said, looking at Alaric.

Normally, Alaric would have accused Damon of acting biased on his decision and called him out on it. In normal circumstances, they would have seized the girl in the cellar and done a thorough a background check on this mysterious girl. But the circumstances were different. He wanted to run some tests on the girl to check whether all his opinions were correct and obviously that wouldn't be possible without Damon's cooperation. He needed their complete trust.

"It's okay Stefan" Rick said, shrugging. "Elena has been clear from the start that she doesn't want to a be a part of our clan. She holds free will to do whatever she wants." He added. "but I would advise her to stay away from Original girl. Her friendship with the Original girl will not set well with our clan and our ally clans." He said in a final tone. Damon's tough stance loosened a bit. Rick was on his side. His mate was safe.

"Unbelievable…" Stefan said shaking his head. "This girl is a threat to us. She can kill us." He said, glaring at his brother.

"Yes, Stefan. A five year old vampire can kill vampires centuries older than her." Damon mocked. "and while we are at the subject…If you want your limbs attached to your body, you must never ever threaten my girl again. I don't even want you in the same room as hers…"

"Ahh…Saving my mate instinct. You know what this girl turned you into…? A complete wuss. I don't think you're capable of continuing your position as chief anymore. The old Damon would have killed this bitch the very minute he found out she was even slightly linked to Original. She wouldn't be breathing here if you were smart…" Without giving him time to complete Damon launched a punch at him right square on the face. Damon moved so fast that Stefan had no time to react. He felt a crack in his nose and felt metallic fluid on his lip. Grasping him by collar, Damon held him straight.

"Listen, you little smart-mouthed twerp, if you ever so much as dare speak to me that way again, I will beat you to a bloody pulp." He could feel Elena and Rick pulling him away from Stefan but he didn't care."I'm going to tell you something for your own good, And you'd better listen up. You stay away from my mate. And if you ever come near her or so much as bend a single hair on her head. You're gonna look like the squirrel I ran over with my car yesterday" he threatened.

"Damon. Let go" Rick ordered pushing the two brothers apart. This wasn't good. Last time, something like that happened when that girl Katherine turned them against each other. The fit between the brothers was surprising because these two rarely fought. They were the most co-dependent set of brothers anyone had ever seen. Seeing them fight wasn't something Rick liked.

Stefan snarled at him in rage. "Enough!" Rick growled. "Stefan, we will deal with this situation. You go to practice ground and keep watch over new vampires. Damon, I need you in my office now" he said in a voice full of authority.

* * *

To say, Damon was mad at her for hiding that Caroline was an Original was an understatement. He had been so furious at her that he refused to talk to her the whole day. He had been out the whole day only returned after she sent him a crying voicemail begging him to talk to her.

He did forgive her but he demanded more explanation regarding her friendship with Caroline and thus Elena had to lie once again. He made her promise that she won't hide anything from him ever. She lied again that she won't.

She couldn't even get in contact with Caroline anymore. One of the Rippers was always with her—of course for her security as Damon put it. So she sent a message to Caroline through Jenna that she was okay and would call her soon.

The atmosphere in the Ripper's side of Mystic Fall cold and mysterious now. They were planning something big and she knew it was probably against her family. But she had other things that occupied her mind. Like how Rick was continuously asked her different questions. About her diet, about her ancestors and about her human life and why she turned. She found herself escaping the very room whenever he entered.

Damon and Stefan's relationship was still strained even after a week to their brawl. However they didn't let it get in the way and worked together to commence an attack on Originals. Tyler's plan was finalized and they planned to attack next Monday. Stefan insisted he doesn't tell this to Elena.

"Like you said she is very "Innocent". I don't want her to ruin our plans in her so called innocence" Stefan snapped at him when Damon announced his decision to tell Elena about their plans.

"I swear to God Stefan-"

"No! Brother. Like you said, dearest Elena doesn't want anything to do with our war then why does she needs to know that we are planning attack this Monday and we are planning to burn them all by nightfall" Stefan said. "He has a point. Elena doesn't have anything to do with us. Then why does she needs to know about this?" Enzo added. He had also taken strong dislike to the girl ever since they found out she was best buds with the Original bitch.

Before Damon could answer, Stefan flashed to the office door and opened it. Elena was standing on the other side. Her face filled with raw fear and horror. "Eavesdropping?" Stefan asked. Damon zoomed to their side. "I…I came here to let Damon know that I am going back to the training ground with Bonnie" she choked.

"It's okay, baby." He said as he pulled her close to him. "You're practicing with Bonnie today?" he asked. She nodded, absent-minded. "Skip training today. Let's go on a dinner date. I would be busy the next few weeks" he said, beaming at her. She nodded weakly. Out of corner of her eyes she noticed Stefan glaring at her.

"Baby?" Damon snapped her out of her daze.

"Yes…"

"Let's go" he said as he stepped out of the room, holding her wrist.

* * *

Klaus knew Rippers were up to something. They have been quiet. Too quiet. He didn't like it one bit. It's not like Rippers could ever reach him. He was still thousand years senior. Only Alaric had a chance with him and he too would have to pass hundreds of centuries old vampires to reach him and his family.

He had a game planned from ages. The only thing stopping him was love. His love for his baby sister. He wanted to give her the world for her sacrifice to their clan. She was in love with a human. He could turn the human boy for her but then Elijah will inform about his plans to the council and they will all team against him. Elijah had given him a month to make his decision. There wasn't actually any decision to make. His ultimate motive was his clan's pride and he didn't care what it cost him. Even his baby sister's happiness.

"Rose…" he murmured and the woman appeared in front of him. Ever since Trevor's death Rose had tried to kill herself multiple times. Klaus had to use the sire bond to stop the girl from killing herself. He still kept her by his side to keep a check on her. She was an old vampire and losing her would be a waste.

"Yes"

"I want you to go to Elijah and get all details about Elena's human boyfriend from him. He is the only one who had ever met the guy. I want to you to gather all details about the boy and then go down there and kill him but make sure it looks like an accident" he ordered.

"but Klaus…"

"Now Rose" Klaus added.

"Okay"

* * *

Elena had been distracted throughout the dinner. It wasn't that Damon didn't notice. He chose to ignore it. Once they were back in the confinements of his room, She had even tried to talk him out of it. "What's the point of the war?" she said in disdain.

"The point is to stand up for ourselves. They had been bullying everyone for centuries and it's time we teach them a lesson" Damon replied. "What's it to you? Are you worried about your friend?" he said with slight bitterness. Was Caroline more important than him?

She sensed his anger. She pushed him on bed and crawled on top of him. Was it wrong to love her enemy? Did that make it selfish that she wanted to be his? That she wanted to stand by his side forever? Laugh with him when he was happy? Cry for him whenever he was in pain? Stand by his side whenever he needed someone? Was it wrong to love someone so much?

Yes, it was. Her mind answered. She was playing with his trust and his emotions. And on the other side she was playing with her family's trust too. She would be destroying her brother's trust, her father's pride, her sister's heart.

"No! I am worried about you" she replied earnestly. "I…I don't think I could bear it if something happened to you." She said with a shudder and he knew she wasn't lying because he could feel her genuine fear.

He let out a slight chuckle. "Worried about me? You should be worried about them. Tomorrow we would be cutting down the oak trees. We are planning a surprise attack. They would never see this coming. We even have a couple vampire lords and their clans on our side. They are dead meat, will stake each and every fucking one of those…" he trailed off when he sensed fear and disgust in her emotions. Oddly, she didn't like it when he said anything against Originals. This annoyed him to a point where he wanted to burn down the Originals to ground.

The council lords were going to be a part of the attack too. This was bad. She couldn't let him hurt her family. She had to warn Nick. Rippers will have to delay the attack if they lose the element of surprise. But if she did, Nick would know she is with Rippers. And Rippers would know she is an Original. Choices? Choices?

She came out of train of her thoughts when his mouth covered hers. His touches always made her forget everything.

* * *

Elena couldn't sleep. She really couldn't. She had chosen Damon ,didn't she?He was her mate and her true loyalties were to him. But there was a strong force disabling her to think about anything other than her clan.

Rippers were going to cut down the oak trees tomorrow. And then they would be attacking her town. Oak trees…she knew where the oak trees were. If something happen to those trees. Will that delay their plan?

"No. No. I can't do that. It guarantees their lives. Those trees were one of the most important factor Nick had never attacked Rippers. I will find another way to stop him" she thought as she turned around and hugged him from behind. She chose Damon. She wanted him to be safe. Her mate was her world. But there was a conflicting force within her that wanted to harm Damon and his clan. A force that was telling her to remove every threat that comes in path of her family's security. She tried to fight that force but it was numbing her senses.

Klaus's voice echoed in her ears. _"_ _Your first choice should always be your family._ _If it comes down to anything,_ _no matter what your opposing choice maybe, we will choose family first."_

Her sire had ordered her to put family first then how dare she chooses someone else. A voice warned her. Something deep stirred inside her. She felt the blackness take over her.

* * *

Damon was sleeping soundly when Elena tip toed out of the bed. He was always a heavy sleeper. She had one goal. Burn down the oak tree forest. She smirked. She went downstairs and walked toward the bar. She took out few bottles of basic liquors. "Is someone there?" she heard a female voice. Probably the walking human blood bag. She thought as she hid behind the counter. "What the fuck am I doing?" she thought as she tried to snap out of her frantic state but it was as if she had an alter-ego. PUT FAMILY FIRST. Remove all threat. And just like that her thoughts numbed again.

* * *

The practice ground wasn't far. Elena had come here numerous times with Damon to know the shortest route.

 _"These are white oak trees. The bark of these trees is used to make stakes. Only white oak trees can kill off Originals" he said. She stiffened slightly but tried to keep her cool. She looked around curiously._

 _"No…these are not. These are not white oak trees. These are chestnut trees" Elena said after a minute._

 _He smirked slightly. "That's just an optical illusion due to Bonnie's spell" he revealed._

She remembered it all as if it was yesterday. The stupid chief had revealed his biggest secret to that stupid girl. The stupid girl that chose her mate over her sire. She opened the bottle and started to sprinkle its contents on the bark of the trees.

She used her vampire speed to finish the job quickly. It won't be long before Damon wakes up. She must not get caught. She took out her lighter from her , click she repeatedly clicked the lighter open and threw it on the alcohol soaked bark of the tree. The trunks immediately erupted in flames and the fire overwhelmed them. She took a step back and looked at her work of art.

Soon the rippers would gather here to put the fire out. She needed to get out of here now.

* * *

It was dream. Elena said as she got up. She was still on her side of the bed. It was probably a bad dream and she only saw this because she was paranoid about her family's security. She turned around to see if Damon was still sleeping soundly. But he wasn't on bed. "Damon" she called out. She needed to see him. She needed to discuss this awkward dream with him. How weird that the dream felt so real?

"It's her, Damon. I knew she would do something like this" she could hear Stefan snarling.

"What's going on?" she asked.

For the first time, she noticed doubt in his eyes. "Nice of you to join us" Stefan hissed at her.

The living room was filled with people. Mason Lockwood, Tyler Lockwood, Bonnie Bennett's father and Stefan. "Stefan! We were both in our bedroom. We were both sleeping. And I mean literally sleeping. She just woke up in front of you. You can't possibly accuse my mate of burning down the forest" Damon hissed back.

Crash.

She was feeling a sudden rush as if someone had poured a huge bucket of hot water over her. The ground shook beneath her feet. So, it was real. She did go. She really did burn down the forest. But how? She didn't mean to do it. She really didn't.

"Are you even listening to me? We were both sleeping"

"You're a heavy sleeper" Stefan pointed out. Now, that Stefan mentioned he did feel for a while as if Elena wasn't on bed.

"She burnt down the forest. I am sure it was her Damon" Stefan snarled at Elena. "because she is one of the Originals" he added.

"No! No! No! Damon, I didn't" she said as she hugged him hiding her face in his chest. "I didn't. He is lying" Elena pleaded. She didn't do it. She knew, it couldn't be her. She wouldn't risk Damon like that—but what about the dream then?

"Elena, I know you didn't." he said as he circled his arms around her. She was feeling fear which was suspicious but then again, his brother was accusing her of serious treason. Of course, she would feel fear.

"And no she isn't an original" Damon said before Mason could speak.

"So! Who else would do it? Everyone here had been a part of our clan for centuries. The only newbee here is Elena." Tyler interfered.

"Elena's loyalties are to me. I guarantee you that it isn't Elena" Damon said in a firm tone.

Just then Bonnie, Enzo and Rick entered through the main door. "How bad is it?" Damon said as he untangled his arms around his mate. Elena stood behind him, protecting herself from Stefan's cold eyes.

"Only 20 trees are left. The rest of the trees aren't of any use anymore."

"Shit" Damon snarled. "Can't you heal them by your magic or something?" Damon pleaded.

Bonnie shook her head. "We will have to do with them until I can harness enough power to grow new but that could take a month" Bonnie said.

"Who could do this?" Alaric said in a worried tone.

Before Stefan could speak Damon interfered "Don't you dare. I am not going through that all over again"

"We were supposed to attack tomorrow" Enzo said,disappointed.

"Maybe, Originals found out about the secret location" Mason suggested.

"Only Damon, Enzo, Bonnie, Rick and I knew about the about the optical illusion spell. And none of us are stupid enough to reveal the location to Originals" Stefan said looking pointedly at Elena.

Damon looked down. Elena knew about the white oak trees too. But she wouldn't tell anyone. He trusted her enough.

"We will have to postpone the attack for now" Damon said shaking his head. "We will commence attack after we catch our traitor" he added.

"I assure you he or she will be punished severely for this betrayal" he added. "He will be begging for death once I am through with him" he finished dangerously. His voice sending shivers down Elena's spine. She knew she couldn't escape death now. Lying, deceiving and now betraying his clan—no her clan. Did she even had a clan now? She was sure Nick would kick her out after he finds out about her mating bond with Ripper. And She wasn't sure Rippers would allow her to live let alone stay with them.

Death was close. She could feel it. She didn't have it in her to fight anymore. She'd fought too hard to escape death. She had been lying from the start. She was tired. Maybe, this was meant to be. Maybe, she was meant to die by the hands of the love of her life, her mate. This was it.

* * *

"Are you okay?" he asked Elena what felt to him was the hundredth time. He had been out the rest of the night with Enzo and Mason, searching for clues to find the person who destroyed all their plans. Only a few trees didn't get harmed by the fire.

He ordered them to be cut down and made into stakes. He couldn't risk it anymore. Besides now everyone knew the place where the oak trees grew. He needed to find another secret place for the new implantation. In the meanwhile, he had to make sure the word that the oak trees got burnt down to the ground doesn't reach Originals. They had about two hundred stakes but it wasn't enough to finish a thousand year old clan with members' way more than his three clans combined.

He was worried. And it didn't help that Stefan kept accusing Elena of betrayal. In his mind, his mate was innocent. She had no idea about the seriousness of the war. She had mentality of a child. She couldn't understand the dirty politics Originals played with them and them with Originals.

Stefan was just jealous. In his mind, Stefan couldn't bear it that he had found happiness and Stefan hadn't. Or maybe he was just paranoid. He never trusted anyone after Katherine. Stefan doubted his Elena because she was new addition. And Elena's friendship with the Caroline girl rose his suspensions even more.

"I am fine" Elena murmured weakly.

"Are you upset because of Stefan? Baby, Don't listen to him. He is just very worried"

"No. I am not mad at him. You don't need to worry about me right now. I know you have other stuff to worry about." She said cupping his face, smiling weakly.

He nodded, looking down. In half hour he had to go meet Lord Augustine at the vampire council and inform him about the sad incident last night and about their delayed attack plan. Lord Augustine and his brother along with their clan were secretly supporting him. He had already informed them over the phone but the Lord demanded him to meet him personally. He was furious at them for backing out of the plan.

Elena looked at her mate. He looked distressed and worried. And she was the cause of it. He and his clan was in danger because she burnt the forest down. She still had no clue as to what possessed her to set fire to precious oak trees. She remembered getting up from bed, she remembered lighting the bark of the tree on fire. She even remembered returning to bed. But it was like, it wasn't her. It felt like something had possessed her body. A feeling so strong, a force so wild. How?

But that didn't matter. What mattered was that if Nick found out the trees were no more, he would launch an attack without wasting a second. Sure, Witches and Werewolves were still a problem but they could be killed. Nick had hundreds of newborn vampires at his disposal that were devoted to him to the point of insanity.

Damon closed his eyes relaxing for a while before he had to set out to Vampire Council in Arran town that was located an hour away from Mystic Falls. He knew the Lords were upset and were probably thinking that he was backing out because he was afraid. His arm curved around his mate's waist, he pulled her to him, his arms locking tight around her. He needed comfort. He didn't want to think about his clan's fate if Originals attacked now. His position was suddenly weak even with werewolves and witches alliance. Warmth and peace coursed through him when her skin came into contact with his. He felt strength and power again. His mate was after all his peace.

He tuned himself to her emotions. He felt her fear and misery. He stiffened. What's wrong? Why is she so scared? He thought. Why is she so guilty?

Grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, she buried her face in his chest and burst into his body wracking, silent sobs. "I am so sorry" she started mumbling. "Elena? Elena? What the hell? Why are you crying?" he said, alarmed.

"Damon…Damon…I am a very bad person." She murmured. "Baby, What's…What happened?" he asked, completely surprised by her behavior.

"I need to do this" she said more to herself than him. "I don't care if you kill me. I don't care if your clan kills me or if…Nick…I…" she said in between sobs.

She wasn't making any sense. Why on earth would he kill his own mate? He zoomed to his study table and poured water in a glass. He flashed back to her and brought the glass to her lips. "Okay…Okay…Take deep breathes. Relax" he cooed as she drank. She obeyed. "You know I wouldn't dream of hurting you let alone kill you. You're my life, baby" he murmured, wiping her tears. "Now tell me what are you talking about?" he asked in a soft tone.

She took a deep breathe, bracing herself. A loud knock on the door interrupted them. "We are ready to leave" Rick said loudly.

"In a minute" Damon replied. "Now tell me what were you saying?"

" _What's taking so long?"_ He could hear Stefan's voice from the driveway.

" _He said in a minute"_ Enzo replied to Stefan.

" _Of course, he is busy. Fucking his mate is more important than his clan."_ He could hear Stefan snarl loudly. His dick of a brother was driving him insane.

"Damon! We are in a bit of a hurry" Rick added.

"Go…We can…We can talk about this when you come back. It's a pretty long story" Elena said wiping her tears.

"Are you sure you would be okay?" he asked worried.

She nodded, looking down. He kissed her forehead. "Just relax. No one is going to lay a finger on you as long as I am alive" he promised. She nodded, smiling weakly. He was about to leave when she held his wrist. "I love you…you know that right?" she said almost childishly.

He smiled softly. "I know…I love you too" he replied, kissing the top of her head before stepping outside.

Elena zoomed toward the window and watched his car leave the driveway. That's it. She would be telling him tonight. She didn't know what possessed her to burn the forest but something was definitely wrong with her. She couldn't risk it anymore. She couldn't endanger her mate anymore. He needed to know who she was.

* * *

Rose didn't know what Elena's boyfriend looked like. She didn't even know his name nor did any of Elena's siblings. Kol only knew what he looked like and that too from Elena. "Something ocean blue eyes…and whatever I didn't listen" Kol admitted when she asked. Even Klaus didn't know Elena's boyfriend name. "I never asked" Klaus admitted almost shamefully.

"but Elijah had seen him and he knows. You can take him with you. He will identify the boy" Klaus suggested. "Take Kol with you too. He would help keep Elena distracted" Klaus had suggested.

"but Kol went to the council today" Marcel reminded him.

"We can pick him up on our way. Arran does comes in our way" Elijah said, absent -mindedly. He was a bit frustrated that he had to go down himself to kill the boy. This was just waste of his precious time. Then again, the time spent now would come useful in future when he is the King.

"Would Kol be agreeable to killing Elena's boyfriend? What if he creates a problem for us? You know he is very attached to Elena" Rose said, making a face.

"I have means to make all my siblings agreeable to what I want. You don't need to worry about that" Nick said darkly and Elijah knew exactly what he meant. The damned man had his all siblings sired to him. He only added vampires to the clan that were created by him. There was no man as genius and evil as Klaus Michelson.

From the corner of his eye, Elijah noticed a figure mist away in zoom. Someone with blonde hair.

* * *

Elena was in Damon's art room. She took out a sketch pad from his desk and flipped through pages. There it was. The scene of the sunrise. The very same roof. The very same sky. Would she ever get to relive that moment with him again? Would he ever forgive her?

Her phone chimed loudly, almost startling her. "Honey…Elena…"

"Caroline?" Elena said.

"Honey, They are on their way"

"Who?"

"Kol, Rose and Elijah…They are going to kill your human boyfriend"

"Caroline…I don't have a human boyfriend." Elena said, eyes narrowing.

"I know that your boyfriend is a Ripper but they don't. Kol would be the one distracting you while Rose and Elijah finish the job" she informed.

"Care! It's okay. I am in Mystic Falls…with Damon. I am not even in Duke" she comforted her friend.

"Elena…they don't know that you have left your dorm to live in your boyfriend's apartment"

"I will tell them I am with Jenna" Elena replied. She was seriously tired of this game.

"Jenna is at Isobel's. She came here for Isobel's new art gallery inauguration"

"Damn it" Elena growled.

"Where are you Elena? Are you with that…"

"Yes"

"You can take the Richmond route and come here. We will tell Klaus you are just visiting. At least he won't question your disappearance and as for your human boyfriend…well he doesn't exist so let Rose, El and Kol search for a person who doesn't exist."

"Care…then how will I explain my disappearance to Damon?"

"Just tell him you were on a shopping trip. I promise I will make Nick let you go by nightfall" Caroline convinced her.

"Okay…I am on my way"

* * *

No more games. Caroline thought. Elena had promised that she would be telling the truth soon but it's been a week and she was still postponing telling the truth. She didn't have guts to face the consequences.

So she decided to take action. She was loyal to her mate. She would get his mate's sister safe and then tell him about her own mistake. How she had crossed the border and forced her mate's sister to pick her up and how she left poor Elena all alone. She was ready for her punishment. She would be owning up to her mistakes.

This was selfish but "Family comes first". She had been planning this for a week. But after hearing Elijah and Nick plan she had decided to take action on her plan. This was the best excuse to bring her friend back to safety before she confessed her mistakes. She couldn't deal with guilt anymore.

* * *

"He will be out in five minutes." Rose said to Elijah as she parked the car.

"Why was he here?"

"Hearing…He killed two witches a year back." Rose said without any emotion on her face.

"So this is **The** Vampire Council"

"You have never been here before?" Rose asked, eyes narrowing.

"No! Finns the one who deals with all formalities with council. I was however the part of one council back in England" Elijah replied, frowning.

Rose shrugged. "How are you feeling…you know after your…mate's death?" Elijah asked after a moment of silence.

"Dead. I feel no emotions. Klaus made me turn it off. At least I don't feel any pain" Rose said shrugging.

"Is it very painful?" Elijah asked, a bit sympathetically.

"My life has no meaning. My world had stopped. And I get nightmares at night…no…I am peachy" Rose said with a humorless laugh.

"That's strange" Elijah said instantly, frowning as his eyes landed on a person he least expected would be here. Were humans allowed in this town?

"Actually…it's pretty normal…One time I try to set myself on fire and I heard this…" she was cut off when Elijah hissed. "Not that…"

"That's Elena's boyfriend" he said pointing at the black haired vampire who was just getting into his car along two other men.

"What?" Rose said, frowning. "No..that's the fucking Ripper chief" she spat.

Elijah's eyes widened. "No. No. He is a human"

"Of course not…that's Ripper chief. I know the guy. I have him down on my list of people I need to kill before I ask Klaus to grant me death" she said looking away.

"Is his name Damon Salvatore?" Elijah said in a cold tone.

"Yes…but…" She stopped. Rage filled her. Things started to make sense. A day before his death, Klaus had ordered Trevor to follow Elena around and report him of her activities. And then the next day, Rippers had sent his battered dead body. At that time, she couldn't make the connection. She used to ask herself as to why Trevor crossed the border. Now she knew. He crossed the border because of that bitch.

"I am here" Kol said as he opened the door. "So…What's the plan?" he added as he sat.

"We are going back" Elijah said in a strict tone. "We just found out something very interesting about your darling sister"

* * *

"NO! NO! NO!" Klaus shouted as he threw the vase against the wall. Kol was fuming beside him silently. Rebekah and Caroline were standing silently too. Caroline shook slightly though. He didn't want to show her this side of him but he was too far angry to control himself now.

"That's not possible. Honey would never betray me like this" he murmured. "It's the ripper" he said to himself. "They are deceiving her too just like they cheated Rebekah" he added.

Kol was silent the whole time. Rose's revelation had shocked him completely. There is no way his innocent sister had been seeing the Ripper chief behind their back.

Klaus tried to calm his harsh breaths. He was losing his sanity. How dare the ripper play with his pride? His little sister? Family was off limits. Oh! When he get his hands on his neck he would…his thought trailed off when he heard Caroline's whispers in his mind.

Lately, her mind was more accessible. She still kept her barrier high so he wouldn't interfere but at this very second she was very stressed, standing next to him. Control was slipping from her mind and suddenly he saw an image form in her head.

Darkness. There was a car. His sister was sitting in the front with Ripper. His sister leaned in to kiss the ripper.

 _"You call that a kiss!" The Ripper Damon said frowning before pulling his sister to him._

 _"Now that's a kiss" he said as he pulled back and smirked smugly._

 _"Goodnight" she said as she opened the door. He was on her side instantly in a second holding the door open for her._

 _"Goodnight, Baby Vamp" he said sadly as she walked toward Caroline's car._

Caroline's barrier was back up.

"You knew?" Klaus said in a torn devastated tone.

* * *

(A/N):For those who are unclear Elena did burn the forest but it was the sire bond that made her do it.

Delena will be facing too many problems but its like they say true love find their way back to each other!

Now I know Elena isn't portrayed as perfect like she always is. She will make mistakes.

Stefan is dick here but his priority is his brother and his clan's safety. Tbh I am tired of reading him as a golden boy. I wanted to make him strong and cold for once. He will develop soft spot for Elena soon. (not romantically)

This was a pretty long chapter. I wanted to add more but I had to remove the prologue scene because then I would have to stop in the mid and I wanted that fight scene to go in a flow.

 **Are you still in to this story?**

 **Review please and let me know if you liked it.**

 **Also I have been busy so I haven't answered any pms. I will get to answer them pretty soon!**

 **No flames please...I already had pretty bad week!**

 **Take Care!**


	19. Torn between family and love

**Chapter 18: 'Torn between family and love'**

* * *

(A/N: Italics are the past part)

* * *

Caroline gulped audibly. Klaus's eyes pierced through hers. "You knew," he repeated. He wasn't asking. He was stating. He stepped towards her. She reflexively took a step back. She could feel him accessing her mind. His anger was boosting his power. She couldn't keep her barrier high up.

 _Caroline was standing near the mall. Her car wasn't starting. She looked around, worried. No one nearby knew her. She was after all_ _on the_ _Ripper's side. Her eyes darted to the wedding dress she bought from Jasmine's. She was on verge of tears. How will she go back to her part of town_ _?_ _What if any of the Ripper_ _s_ _recognize her? She picked up her phone and called her fu_ _ture_ _sister_ _-_ _in_ _-_ _law._

" _Hone_ _y...a_ _re you alone?" Caroline_ _asked_ _in a hushed tone._

 _"Yeah! What's up?" she_ _replied, casually_ _pu_ _lling_ _a strand of_ _hair behind her ear._

 _"Hone_ _y...y_ _o_ _u..._ _you gotta save me."_

 _"Care! What's wrong?_ _"_ _Elena_ _asked, now apprehensive_ _._

 _" I…I'm at the Ripper_ _s'_ _side" Caroline stuttered._

The image changed _._

 _Caroline was fighting a_ _dark-_ _haired vampire. Klaus recognized the man as Lorenzo. Caroline kneed him in the groin_ _._ _"More vampires_ _,_ _Care! We can't take them all_ _._ _Run!" Elena commanded. Enzo_ _attempted_ _to make a grab for them, but both_ _female_ _vampires_ _bolted_ _in opposite directions._

Her barrier was up again.

"If you would just listen to me..." she choked.

"What happened next?" Klaus demanded, not letting her finish.

"Nick…I was scared and it was a mistake…"

He didn't let her finish and stepped closer. "What happened next?" he repeated. She opened her mouth to talk but he shushed her. He ran his fingers up to the flattened hair at her temples as he closed his eyes, concentrating on connecting with her mind. Whispers, thoughts, and memories. She was scared. Her defense was weak today.

 _She ran as fast as she could, but_ _she could still hear_ _the Ripper vampires_ _closing the distance between them_ _. She took a blind aim behind her and shot a stone at the blond vampire. It hit him_ _i_ _n the chest. He snarled but didn't stop. She was pant_ _ing_ _heavily_ _as she_ _took a turn. "You're so dead, bitch!" she heard hi_ _s cruel snarl_ _(Klaus recognized the voice as Stefan's)_ _as s_ _he sprinted_ _through_ _the forest_ _towards_ _the guarded border. She crossed the bo_ _undary_ _line and almost collided into someone. "A RIPPER!"_ _t_ _he guard shouted. "N_ _o... no..._ _I am Caroline Forbes_ _Mikaelson_ _. Klaus's mate." she said to assure the man. "Queen Caroline? But…what were you doing on the Ripper_ _s'_ _side?"_

Klaus felt his energy drain. He was old and strong but his bond with Caroline was too new, so it wouldn't grant him enough power to continue accessing her subconscious. "You came back that night," he whispered. She nodded, looking down. "And…and what happened to my sister? What about Elena?" he urged in a grave tone, grasping her by the shoulders.

"You picked her up the next morning from Jenna's house," she finally choked out. _  
_

"Jenna's house? You mean the first time Elena so surprisingly visited Jenna? That night?" Klaus recalled, "but…but that would mean…you…you left my sister alone and defenseless in the Rippers' territory?" he deduced, his eyes widening in disbelief with every word.

Caroline's eyes pooled with tears. He was going to hate her now. But like she promised herself, she wasn't going lie to her mate. Not anymore. She slowly nodded, confessing her crime. Klaus's arms dropped to his sides immediately in astonishment. She could hear the twin gasps of Rebekah and Kol nearby.

"You left my sister alone and defenseless in the Rippers' territory" he repeated, as if he couldn't believe himself.

"Nick…I didn't mean to…"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO?" he roared, making her flinch. "YOU FULLY MEANT THAT!"

"Nick! I made a mistake..."

"A mistake, Caroline?" he whirled around. "A mistake is when you drop a lamp or break my prized ornaments. You left my sister to the Rippers. That's not a mistake, that's a crime!"

"You should have told me. You should have told us. We would have brought her back." Rebekah added.

"I was so scared. I committed a huge mistake. And I wanted to fess up but I got cold feet…and I…" she said in between heavy sobs. She sobbed so hard, she nearly choked on her tears. In spite of her sorrow, her husband's cold eyes still didn't soften with mercy.

"I tried to stop her after that, but the Ripper kept following her around. Elena tried to tell him off but it was…"

"So why didn't you tell me? I would have chopped his legs off, but instead you chose to keep it a secret from me!" he hissed stepping towards her. "Did you really think you could hide this from me forever?" he asked, in a tone completely void of warmth.

"I…am sorry."

"No Caroline, I'm the one who is sorry. I am sorry that I thought you were sensible enough to be my Queen. Do you have any idea what you have done? They could have killed her! God knows what lies they fed her to trap my innocent sister!" Klaus fretted as he paced around. Yes, that was it. Elena was young and innocent. She was a child. Those Rippers had taken advantage of her naivety.

"What more do you know?" Kol asked Caroline, glaring at her. Klaus's mate had officially soiled their clan's honor. Oh how the vampire clans will laugh at them! After Rebekah, and now Elena was the Rippers' toy. Oh the shame! Their noble clan's reputation was tarnished. Ruined.

"I was going to confess everything today. But I wanted her to reach here safely before I…"

"What do you mean reach safely? Isn't she at Duke?" Rebekah asked, eyes narrowing.

"No."

The room was once again filled with silence. "And…where was she? This…whole time…when she spent her weekends with her…so called human boyfriend…where was she?" Klaus asked, appalled. He knew the answer. He still wanted to know.

"With the Ripper. At his side of Mystic Falls." Caroline admitted.

"What? That stupid bitch!" he raged. He picked up a lamp and hurled it at the center table, scattering all the equipment and ornaments on it across the room. His sister had played with his trust. After every fucking thing he did for her, she repaid him by sleeping with his archenemy.

"Nick! Nick! Listen to me!" Rebekah said as she came in front of her brother.

"Rebekah! Not now!" Nick warned, swatting his sister's hands away.

"Nick! I know the Ripper chief personally. We already know Rippers can be really manipulative. Hell, I have been one of their victims. They can be real convincing when they want to be. And Damon…he is the most devious of them all. He must have sweet talked our Honey. You know our Honey. She is very innocent and immature. She is a child. He could have easily charmed her." she defended her sister.

In her mind, her sister was still a child. Rebekah had always been like a mother to Elena. Of course she would defend her little sister.

"That doesn't change anything. Elena committed a crime. I lost my mate because of her. If you're a true leader Klaus, you would give me justice. Elena should be punished!" Rose interfered.

"Nick…" Caroline started to speak.

"SILENCE!" Klaus growled.

"When will she arrive, Caroline?" he asked in a cold tone.

"In about twenty minutes." Caroline replied, not meeting his eyes.

Rebekah opened her mouth to reason with Klaus, but he stopped her with a gesture of his hand. Rebekah then knew that the time for talk was over. Klaus was at his breaking point now. Betrayal hurts. But betrayal from someone you love so much hurts even more. And no matter what Klaus did all his life, he loved and protected his family insanely. He could die for them. In return he expected the same type of faithfulness. Elena had crushed his trust. Rebekah knew there was no point in talking to Klaus now. Elena was in deep trouble.

..

..

Darkness and churning rain blurred everything. It was a good thing that Damon had enhanced vision. No normal human could ever drive in this weather. Things with Lord Augustine and Lord Silas didn't go well. They insisted he launch his attack. They promised to support him, but Damon insisted they needed a month to prepare.

Lord Augustine and his brother Silas agreed, but by the looks of it he knew that they would soon be backtracking if he didn't think of something quick. How did everything turn around so quick? One minute he was dreaming about killing off the Originals for good and taking over Mystic Falls completely, and the next minute his family's life was at stake. Three clans. Vampires, witches, and werewolves. They all depended on him.

The car was filled with silence. Not even Stefan had snarky comments for him today. They were all scheming a way out of this situation. They couldn't launch an attack but they couldn't lose the vampire Lords' alliance in this tough time either.

When his anxiety and restlessness increased, he attuned himself to his mate's emotions to seek peace. Her emotions were even more anxious and stressed than his, laced with so much fear and guilt. God! _What was wrong with this girl?_ he thought. Did she take Stefan's threats that seriously? Or was she afraid to stay in his town now that everyone thought she was the one who had burned down the forest.

His mind diverted to their early morning conversation. She wanted to tell him something before Rick very rudely interrupted them. It had been like this for a while. He felt like there was something she wanted to tell him but something was stopping her. Some sort of fear...

Stefan grumbled something under his breath, snapping him out of his thought bubble. "You said something?"

"Would it matter? Clearly anything I say is not of enough value to be taken seriously," he snapped.

"That's because everything you say is completely pointless, stupid, and trash."

He scoffed, "You're only saying this because you can't accept the fact that your mate is the one who is working for the enemy."

"Is that what you do in your free time? Plot against how you're going to turn me against my own mate?" he retorted.

He couldn't see Stefan's face since he was driving, but Stefan's silence assured him that his cruel jibe had hurt his brother. "Damon…don't. He's just looking out for you." Alaric warned him.

"No! It's okay." Stefan said, reassuring his brother's jibe didn't hurt him. "His blind trust in that girl will bite him in the ass soon," he added after a minute.

"Okay! That's it!" Damon said as he stopped the car. "Why are you so against her? What did she ever do to you?" he growled.

"You mean other than trying to kill my brother and get my clan killed? No. Nothing."

"Boys," Alaric interfered.

"Stefan…there is no point in arguing," Enzo interjected before the argument could heat up any further. Damon was stubborn as hell. There was no point in arguing with him once he had made up his mind.

"No. No. Let's discuss this. Consider this for one minute. What if she is the one who betrayed us? What if she is the traitor? The one who burned down the Oak trees? What would you do?" Stefan challenged.

"I will stake her myself." he answered in a determined tone. Shocked silence met his words. They wondered if they heard him right. Killing one's own mate was out of the question. Killing your mate would mean killing your own soul, your own peace.

"That is what you wanted to hear, right?" he added with a hiss, restarting the engine of the car.

The ride became silent again for the next one and half hours as they drove back to Mystic Falls. Once they arrived, he parked the car in the driveway. He couldn't help but feel a sense of dread fall over him, as if something very bad had happened. He blamed his feud with Stefan for the feeling.

Stefan dashed out of the car and strayed from the house. _Probably heading toward Lexi's_. Damon thought.

"I am going to the border. It's my night for border watch," Enzo informed before he flashed away. The remaining two entered the house. Bonnie was sitting on the couch near the fireplace with her head in her hands.

Her eyes shot up to see who came inside the house, but looked disappointed as soon as she saw them.

"What's wrong?" Damon asked immediately.

"She hasn't returned yet." Bonnie murmured, as if afraid of his reaction.

"Elena?"

"It's been hours. She said she would return in a couple of hours. She just needed to do some quick shopping in Richmond. I told her that you wouldn't like it if she went out alone, so I offered to go with her but she said she would be back home before you," Bonnie continued nervously.

He groaned in frustration and took out his phone from his back pocket. "She won't answer," Bonnie added.

Her phone was switched off. "Fuck!" he cursed.

"Maybe she went back." Alaric supplied soothingly.

"She wouldn't go back without informing me first," he dismissed as he concentrated on his emotional connection to her soul. He couldn't feel it. Her emotions. He couldn't feel them anymore, as if they weren't there. As if she didn't exist.

"What the hell?" he mumbled as he tried to attune himself to her again.

"What happened?"

"I can't feel her emotions." he said, appalled by the idea. Since forming the mating bond, he had grown accustomed to sharing this connection with her.

"What do you mean you can't feel her emotions?" Bonnie quavered. Mates could access each other's souls, emotions, and if the blood bond was strong enough they could hear each other's thoughts too. The blood bond allowed them to do that. Not finding that connection meant only one thing.

"It's like the connection doesn't exist..."

"That's not possible, Damon. Try to concentrate. The loss of connection can only happen with the…" she trailed off as realization took over her.

When he spoke, his voice was a strangled whisper. "-death of the mate." His voice, rough and broken, croaked, "No. Oh God, please. No!"

He called her again. He was directed to her voicemail.

"I told you not to let her go alone" he barked at his best friend.

"What could have I done? She wouldn't stay. She kept saying it was important."

Before he could argue, Stefan dashed through the door. "They attacked…the Originals…they're coming towards the border!" he managed to choke through his rough breaths.

"What?"

..

..

 _Once upon a time a long time ago_ _,_ _there_ _lived a family near the outskirts of a town called The Fells. The family consisted of six members_ _:_ _Mikael, Esther and their four children. Niklaus, Kol, Rebekah, and Dean. Out of all their children, their eldest son was their wonder child._

 _Niklaus_ _Mikaelson_ _had always been mysterious. He was born_ _before_ _his expected time yet he was healthy. He was perfect in every way. Like his father, he was brave, strong, and cunning. His only weakness was his thirst for power._

 _T_ _hen the plague hit_ _the_ _town and took the life of his youngest brother Dean. It devastated the whole family and broke their hearts. Along with the sorrow for the loss of his brother came the fear for his and his family's life. Klaus never wanted to feel the pain of losing someone he loved ever again._

 _His mother Esther practiced dark magic. In order to save her family, Esther decided to turn her family immortal. For her spell to be completed she needed a sacrifice of twelve innocents. Klaus could do anything for his family. He performed the ritual himself_ _,_ _kill_ _ing_ _twelve innocents to complete the spell. That was the day Klaus felt his heart turn dark._

 _After their transition_ _,_ _t_ _hey had to move. Villagers_ _learned_ _of_ _their secret and planned to burn them all. To them, this family had committed the ultimate crime. They had given away their humanity for eternal life. So Niklaus and his family relocated and settled in a small town called Mystic Falls. Lonely_ _in their new state, it was Mikael's idea to create their own clan. And so they did. But most of the newborns they turned were highly unstable. In one of their fits they would drain a village. Eventually, Niklaus and Kol_ _would have_ _to kill them. But nonetheless they_ _built_ _a small army of powerful newborns._ _W_ _ord_ _of_ _a newborn family_ _building an army reached the Vampire Council._

 _Soon, they_ _were_ _visited by the_ _V_ _ampire_ _C_ _ouncil, who had come with_ _the intent_ _of_ _finish_ _ing_ _this family off. They fought._ _Mikaelsons_ _fell. For the first and_ _last time in his life Niklaus begged for hi_ _s_ _and his family's life._ _Undeterred_ _, they_ _mercilessly_ _staked_ _them all._ _With the exception of the o_ _riginal Mi_ _kael_ _son family members_ _,_ _everyone_ _in their clan died._ _This was most unusual. Why couldn't they die after getting staked?_ _They didn't ponder on_ _this oddity_ _much. After all, they did finish what they came for and that was to_ _destroy_ _the newborn vampire army. What harm could a bunch of newborns do to them? So they left,_ _wrecking_ _the little progress the newly turned family had made._

 _That day Klaus swore to be the mos_ _t_ _powerful of them all. A day would come when everyone would whimper_ _at the very sound of his_ _name. He secretly started building his army again_ _,_ _t_ _his time being more ca_ _utious_ _. His witch mother helped him. With her magic, she gave him_ _the power so_ _whenever he turned a vampire, his blood in the vampire would create a bond_ _with Klaus,_ _making the vampire slave to Klaus's will. Klaus would be his sire and the turned vampire would be his slave._

 _Klaus_ _learned the reason_ _why he, his father and his siblings didn't die that day after getting staked._ _The reason was that_ _only stakes from a White Oak Tree could kill them. The very tree_ _which powered the spell_ _th_ _at had_ _created them._ _I_ _t was the only flaw in his mother's magic_ _to_ _mak_ _e_ _them immortal. So, the first thing he did with his new and more stable army was burn down every last white oak tree on the planet. It took time_ _, b_ _ut what_ _is_ _time when you have eternity_ _?_

 _He extended a hand of friendship to the Lords, which they accepted after Klaus agreed to live according to their terms. Slowly, he gained_ _access_ _to their inner circle. He manipulated them into allowing him to grow his army. With added strength, he also focused on his army's training. Soon, he attacked a_ _V_ _ampire Lord's village and invaded it. The Council was outraged but it was too late by then. He couldn't be stopped. Council vampires were strong but their clans consisted of immature vampires with no battle training. Their clan members weren't as consistent and devoted as Klaus's. Klaus's vampires were old, mature and consistent throughout time. It wasn't wise to wage a war against a vampire chief with a devoted clan like that. So they formed multiple treat_ _ies_ _with him. They preferred on making peace with him. Klaus agreed_ _,_ _o_ _nly because he knew his clan_ _still_ _needed to grow more in power._

 _With time, his power grew and the Council could do nothing much to stop him. He invaded villages after villages. No one_ _would_ _dare to speak or take action against him. When the bloodshed got out of hand_ _,_ _the council secretly allied with the witch clan against the clan_ _now known as the Originals. They nearly succeeded_ _in_ _killing_ _Kol, Niklaus's brother. But_ _Esther_ _intervened in time with a_ _spell to protect her son._ _Niklaus_ _was enraged. He didn't strike back immediately_ _, instead he_ _waited for the right time. He was a cunning leader and well aware of his enemy's weaknesses. There_ _we_ _re seven eclipses every year. He attacked the witch clan on the nearest eclipse_ _in the_ _calendar. The night when witches c_ _ouldn_ _'t harness power from the moon. He enjoyed a glass of wine while his clan burned the village to ashes._

 _By then, he_ _learned_ _that the attack by the witches was designed by Alaric Saltzman, one of the Council_ _'s_ _vampires. And the very witch clan that attacked his brother Kol was none other th_ _e_ _n_ _his_ _mate_ _'s_ _clan. He had th_ _e_ _witch killed on the same night too._

 _After that, he was above all. He was ruling the vampire world. The Council was only of name now. They were his puppets. He ruled for centuries. Then came the_ _beginning_ _his downfall._

 _The Rippers._

 _The Rippers knew of his secret_ _:_ _White Oak trees. Seeing them gain power, a couple of witch clans allied with_ _the Rippers._ _Soon the werewolves joined the Rippers, too. They attacked Klaus together._ _Esther, his mother, was killed in the very same war. He was losing power with_ _each_ _passing day. Thank God,_ _the_ _Council fina_ _lly_ _interfered and designed a treaty between them._

 _He tried to scheme his way back to power_ _, b_ _ut the Rippers_ _, though_ _young, were strong and clever. Their main strong point was their unity. Together, they were_ _hell-bent on killing Klaus and his clan._

 _And just when Klaus thought he would never be as powerful as he was before_ _,_ _Mikael found a Petrova_ _descendant;_ _Isobel._

 _His mother Esther was Mikael's wife, not his mate. Isobel was his true mate. He was infuriated_ _at_ _first by the "other woman" in his father's life, but then his father_ _revealed to_ _him the advantage of making Isobel a member of their clan. He told him about the spell that could create a child with the blood of_ _both_ _vampire and Petrova running through its veins. H_ _e explained ho_ _w a childlike that would be the most powerful member of their clan._ _How_ _they could once again be the most powerful_ _among_ _all creatures_ _;_ _be it witches, werewolves, or vampires. The spell was complicated, but they somehow managed to make it work._

 _Isobel did conceive._ _The child would be a human but with magical powers and strength of a vampire._ _Everything was going according to the plan, but they weren't careful enough and Isobel committed a crime that tarnished all their hopes to rule the world. She committed a murder and_ _force fed_ _on a human during the pregnancy. Her soul became impure and the spell didn't work properly._

 _The spell was only limited to pure souls. The female must never force feed. That was an essential requirement. Everything was over._

 _It was Mikael who made_ _Niklaus_ _realize that the game wasn't over yet. His newborn daughter was also part Isobel. She had her mother's blood in her veins. They could perform the same spell_ _with the_ _child_ _,_ _too._

 _Hope sparked in Klaus's eyes again. One last chance. This child was his one last chance. He named her Elena, as in "the light". At first his only agenda was to use this girl for the greater good of his clan, but as soon as the nurse handed him the baby, he realized how this precious child was going to be his savior. She would help him form his kingdom again. He would be the most powerful among all vampires because of this precious child._

 _So he loved her. He gave her everything as a price for her future contribution to their clan. He protected her, gave her all his love and everything she ever demanded. He protected her like a father, viciously like a lion, doted on her like a brother, and turned into her best friend when she needed to bitch about some girl_ _from_ _school._

 _He personally turned her on the night when_ _a_ _great comet orbited the Earth for the seven hundredth time. He had kidnapped a weak witch a day before and demanded_ _that she_ _cast a spell on Elena, so she wouldn't be able to feed from humans._

 _Elena wasn't just a pawn for his plan. He truly did love his sister. She was like_ _the_ _daughter he could never have. And also, she was one of the reasons he met the love of his life._

 _One day, when he went to visit Elena at her college_ _,_ _a_ _girl almost ran him over with her car. The blonde beauty apologized repeatedly and insisted to drive him to_ _a_ _hospital_ _,_ _even though he denied her offer over and over again. Of course, he didn't need to go for a checkup. He was a vampire. He could heal immediately but she insisted._

" _You have a deep wound. Please. Please let me help you." the blonde girl_ _pleaded_ _._

 _In his 1000 year_ _-long_ _life no one had ever looked at him with s_ _uch_ _kindness. It did things to him._ _Funnily enough,_ _she fainted when his wound healed right in front of her._ _Turned out, the girl was his sister's roommate Caroline. Soon his visits_ _with_ _his sister became frequent. The reason had shifted from_ _e_ _nsuring his sister's wellbeing to spending time with the witty, clumsy blonde girl Caroline._

 _His once cold heart that_ _became consumed_ _with darkness on the night he killed twelve innocents to become a blood drinker, had somehow softened the more he spent time with the beautiful_ _and chirpy blonde_ _girl._

" _You're beautiful, you're… you're strong, you're full of light. I enjoy you," was what he said when Caroline asked him why he always followed her around._

 _Months after that, he and Caroline performed the ritual and had officially became mates. In the meantime, he met Elijah Smith and decided Elijah was a perfect fit for Elena. He explained his plan to the Smiths and they immediately agreed since they were as power hungry as he was._

 _Everything was pre-planned f_ _or_ _years. The date of Elijah and Elena's mating bond was set. Until his sister and his mate Caroline destroyed the plan that he worked years on. His sister had betrayed him and took advantage of his love and trust. The very thought enraged him._

 _What did those Rippers_ _have_ _that made his sisters betray_ _their_ _own brother? Their own clan? And for what? A few moments of fake love and a few fake promises_ _?_ _Was his love not enough? Was his love so worthless that it was so easy for the Rippers to trick his sisters? Didn't his sisters care about him at all? Didn't they once think about how he would feel when he f_ _ound_ _out about their disloyalty,_ _their deception? In this moment he didn't even care about his plan regarding Elena._

 _What he cared about was Elena's betrayal. It hurt like hell. He gave her all his love and that's how she repaid him. By being with his enemy._

 _In a way, he knew it wasn't Elena's fault entirely. His sister was as sweet as Honey_ _,_ _(That's the reason he called her that)_ _and he_ _knew she was naïve._

 _So here he was, a defeated 1000-year-old man. The Rippers had once tricked his sister Rebekah and now they had tricked his youngest sister Elena. He wasn't ever going to forgive them for driving a wedge between them. They had tarnished his clan's reputation once again. Family was off_ _-_ _limits. Didn't they decide that in the treaty? Rippers were dead now. It physically pained him that the Ripper who was using his sister was still alive. His dead heart was still beating. Niklaus couldn't bear that. He would personally burn them all to the ground._ _He would only rest when the Ripper clan_ _was_ _a pile of ash. And that's final._

..

..

 **Two hour Ago, Mystic Falls—Originals.**

"Stay calm," Elena murmured to herself as she drove towards her home…her former home. She needed to stay calm or her passionate mate Damon Salvatore, also known as the Ripper chief, would pick up on her emotions and think that she was being threatened. After the mating bond, they somehow linked in a strange fashion. Their fused souls allowed them to attune to each other's emotions and sometimes thoughts, too. Somehow he knew what she was feeling even before the mating bond. They had a deeper connection. A deeper understanding of each other. He knew her and at the same time he didn't, too. He didn't know that she was his clan's traitor. He didn't know that she was the sister of his arch nemesis. And tonight she was hell-bent on telling him this very precious piece of information about her.

She turned her car onto the street where her brother was residing in his big house. She immediately felt like she would drown in guilt. If Klaus ever found out about her mating bond with Damon, he would hate her. Tears swarmed her eyes. But she loved Damon. Was loving someone a crime?

"They won't understand," she mumbled as she wiped her tears. She parked the car in front of her brother's house and checked her reflection in the mirror. Wiping the wetness from the corner of her eyes, she reapplied her lip gloss. This is going to be her very last lie. That's it. She would tell Caroline to tell Klaus everything once she goes back to Duke tomorrow—if Rippers allowed her to live after her confession.

The rain pattered heavily against the ground. The sky thundered with sonic booms as if warning her of something. She hurriedly walked towards the house and entered without any further ado.

"This is the last time you're lying. Just don't look into Nick's eyes. You can do this…" she repeated under her breath, releasing a deep sigh.

The lights of the corridor were switched off. She noticed how Nick's house gave her chills instead of its familiar comfort. What wouldn't she give to get back to Damon's house now? Back in the safety and comfort of his arms. She yearned for those days when there was no threat of war.

Plastering a fake smile on her face, she entered the great hall. The whispering in the hall stopped when they saw her. Her eyes narrowed. Why was everyone at Nick's house? Together? Even Kol…wasn't he off to kill her supposed human boyfriend? Didn't Caroline say that? _Play it cool,_ she thought to herself.

"Good Lord! What's the event?" she said with a grin. "SURPRISE!" she said, beaming.

Nick, who was standing in the middle of the room on the grizzly bear-skin rug that he had hunted himself a few years ago, looked up at her with furious red eyes. Caroline was standing near the window…somehow she looked scared. _Oh, Caroline!_ Elena thought. If she didn't put on a better act than that, Nick would immediately detect her emotions and know something is wrong.

Rebekah was standing near the lit fireplace, pouring herself a drink. Her other arm was leaning against the sofa Kol was seated on. Kol didn't even bother to look up and greet her. That should have been her first sign.

Elijah and Rose stood by the window giving her judgy looks. Rose's arms were crossed on her chest and a small smirk was playing on her face. That look should have been her second sign. But Elena ignored all signs and walked to where her eldest brother was standing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I missed you," she murmured with genuine heartache. He didn't hug her back. As if sensing her dread, Caroline stepped closer. At exact that moment, the sky thundered once again. Caroline visibly shuddered in fear and Nick didn't rush to tend to her. That should have been her last warning.

"Did you, little sister?" Nick questioned in a cold tone.

"Of course, you're after all my most favorite sibling!" she claimed, smiling ear to ear. She hopped to the couch on one foot, lay down, and began to yap nervously. "God! College was ass tiring. I had like five assignments and a research paper to write but I skipped. Family first! I missed you guys too much!"

Rebekah shifted a bit, "Elena…we kno-" but Klaus held out his hand gesturing her to remain quiet. Elena shifted nervously on the couch. "Jesus! It's cold here. Nick! Can you turn up the heat a bit?" she requested.

Klaus looked at her coldly before nodding. He walked slowly toward the fireplace. He knelt down in front of the fireplace and started adding some kindle to the bottom. An ominous silence once again filled the room. Elena was trying to catch Rebekah's attention when Klaus's voice broke the silence.

"Elena," he started softly, "are you comfortable now?"

"Yes, thank you." she replied. Why was he calling her Elena? The only time he used her real name was when she was in trouble. Why wasn't he calling her Love or Honey or Doll?

"Thank you…" Klaus said in the same lifeless tone. "Why thank me? Isn't the sole purpose of my very being to bring you comfort?" he mocked coldly.

For a second, she was baffled by his behavior. He never once spoke to her so coldly. Why was everyone so quiet?

Nick got up and turned to her. "Isn't it, Elena?"

Again with the Elena. Why does he keep calling her that? Why not use the nickname he so lovingly gave her all those years ago years ago?

She got up from the couch and walked towards her brother. She cupped his face, "What's wrong, Nick? Did I do something wrong?"

He immediately hissed. His hands went up her arms, only to grab hold of them and push her away. He swung his hand around and slapped Elena hard across her face. "Don't touch me!" he snarled.

Elena paused, stunned, and held her face. She stared glassy-eyed at him in disbelief. Never once in her life had Nick shouted at her, let alone hit her. His red eyes were glistening with tears, too. She looked around in shock. Why didn't any of her siblings stop Nick? Why weren't they interfering?

Her eyes stopped on Elijah who was looking at her with disgust.

"YOU!" she exclaimed as she went ahead towards him. "What lies did you feed my brother against me? Just because I wouldn't go out with you? Can you sink any lower?" Elijah rolled his eyes as a light smirk played on his lips. He leaned toward her, his breath brushing her ear as he whispered, "Game over, Princess." He pressed a light kiss to her temple. She was about to react when Kol yanked her by her arm.

"HOW COULD YOU? How could you do this to us—to me—to Nick?" He threw her at Klaus's feet. Before she could register the situation, Klaus pulled her up by her arm. "How could you, Elena? I gave you all my love. I loved you even more than I loved Rebekah or Kol. I loved you regardless of the fact that you're my half-sister…but you proved that if you truly respected me as an elder brother, if you were truly my own blood you would have never betrayed me like this."

She felt her heart crack. They knew. She hung her head down in shame. What had she done? She disobeyed her brother. Her fingers grew cold as she realized how serious a crime she had committed. Hot tears burned her eyes and began to spill over, carving a path down her cheeks. She wanted to speak but no words came out of her mouth. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was to hurt him like this. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him and how she would kill herself for him if he wanted, right now.

She wanted to grab her brother and hug him with all her might. She wished she could fall to her knees and beg his forgiveness, but her feet remained planted firmly on the polished floor. "Nick…I'm. I'm…"

He pressed his finger against her lips. "No, Elena. No, don't apologize. I am sorry. I am sorry that I let you break down my walls. I am sorry that I loved you like I never loved anyone else. I'm sorry that I couldn't understand that… HE…HE is more important to you than I am. Good blood never lies, sister.

And you…my dear little sister…I raised you and nurtured you. All the love and care I showered upon you, and this is how you repay me? By betraying me? By betraying your own family? I gave you everything. My love, my dedication. I gave you everything you desired before the words would leave your mouth and this is how you repay me? By fucking lying to me for that...filth...that low life filth!"

She held his wrist, crying, "No! No! Nick! You're my everything. I love you so much. I do respect you. Please…please don't say this. You know you mean the world to me. You know that I can die for you," she said in between sobs. She sobbed like her heart would break.

Elena circled her arms around his waist. This time he didn't push her back. She clung to him and cried against his chest, mumbling all sort of apologies. He pulled her back after a while. His eyes too shone with tears. She hung her head low in shame. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

He lightly caressed the cheek he slapped as if feeling ashamed. A sense of déjà vu took over him. This was Rebekah's story all over again. "You can make this right. I will forget everything. We will start fresh. All you need to do is forget him." He mumbled, looking hopefully at her.

The pain flashed in Elena's eyes. NO! She couldn't. She'd rather die eating vervain. She couldn't forget Damon. She wouldn't. He was the love of her life. Her home. Whenever she looked into his eyes she felt alive. Hearing his voice was the best feeling. Touching him gave her sensations she never felt before. His arms provided her with comfort that no one else could provide. He was her world. He was a part of her. His blood was what she fed on. He was the reason she was alive. Then how could she forget him? Her savior. Her soul mate. Her mate. Nick looked down into her eyes, waiting for her reply.

"Ni…Nick…I will do anything for you."

Nick smiled.

"Except that." she added and his smile faltered. "I…I can't do that. I can't forget Damon"

His eyes widened in anger.

"I…I love him." she closed her eyes to save herself from his wrath after her declaration. She waited for Nick to react but instead she heard Kol rage, "I WILL FUCKING KILL HER!" She opened her eyes and watched him struggle to get free from Rebekah's iron wrought grip. "Let me go! How dare she say this? You fucking bitch. I will kill you!"

She turned around and saw Klaus glaring at her with hatred and fury. "You love HIM. The man that I despise! The last man I would want you to be with. The man who was turned for the sole purpose to kill your family! You love him?" he spat with utmost disgust.

"Nick…Nick…He is nothing like you think he is. He is a great man. And besides what's there in war? Just loss of lives. And Nick he loves me like you do. He will die for me."

"Oh! He will die. I assure you of that!" Klaus said with a humorless chuckle.

"No. You won't hurt him." Elena said, shaking her head.

Klaus took a deep breath, trying to calm his rage down. _She is just a kid,_ he reminded himself. She doesn't understand this.

"Elena, Honey. Love, I thought you were better than this. Sweetheart, he doesn't love you. He HATES me. And the only way to hurt me is to hurt my family. He is only using you!" he stressed gently.

Elena shook her head furiously. No. He wasn't. Damon didn't even know she was an Original. "No, Nick. He does love me—please don't make me choose. I can't live without him."

Her words sliced his heart. Was his love so worthless to the girl whom he practically raised? She could hurt him but she couldn't live without the Ripper.

He clenched his teeth and nodded. "Okay…fine," he said and held her arm. He pushed her slightly. "Go." he pushed her further. "Go to him and forget that you ever had a brother. But if you take one more step you're dead to me." he promised without mercy.

"It's not like she cares, Nick. Indeed, we have nourished a snake in our bosom these 26 years… We should just kill this waste of space. Fucking traitor." Kol spat.

"Kol! Please. Please don't say that. I am completely loyal to my family. I really am. But I love him, too. I can't live without him!" she sobbed loudly. "You can't do this to me!" she pleaded.

For the first time, Klaus felt his heart ache. The feeling of getting betrayed sunk in. His baby sister was crying for a man he hated…despised with his whole being. How could she do this to him? Did she forget everything he did for her?

He still remembered holding her for the first time. She was a wrapped up in a towel. Her barely half inch hand touched the light stubble of his cheek and he had kissed it. That day he had promised himself that he would give his sister everything. No tears, no pain would ever touch his sister. Was this the same Elena?

He had taught her how to walk. He had stayed up nights helping her to prepare for her exams. He had taught her how to ride a bicycle when she was six. Was this the same girl who would squeak whenever he would let go of the handle? Was this the same girl who would huddle next to him in bed whenever she had a nightmare? Was this the same girl who would make fun of all the girls he brought home before he met the love of his life? Was this the same girl who once called him her superhero?

She fell on her knees sobbing loudly. She couldn't breathe through the constriction of her chest; she could barely see through the tears burning her eyes. She was begging for his forgiveness but she was also telling him clearly that she was in love with the Ripper chief.

Was this the same little girl he raised like his daughter? He remembered telling her stories of his great kingdom and how she was his little princess. Was she the same little girl that would often drift to sleep in his warm arms, lulled by his stories?

Unknowingly, Klaus was stroking the top of her head. He swallowed thickly and held a fist full of her hair, pulling her up. "How long were you with him?" he probed with disgust. Never in his life had he ever laid a hand on his siblings let alone Elena. He had never once hurt her but today she had hurt him immensely. He wanted her to know how much she had hurt him.

"Three and half months," she choked out.

"Three months." he almost laughed. His little sister wasn't as innocent as he thought she was if she managed to hide her treachery from him for three months. He gave a humorless laugh. "You hear that, Bex? She even beat your record!" And suddenly his face became dangerously serious, "For three fucking months you played with our trust, our love? You chose him over me?" She shook her head furiously.

"And what did he promise you in return? That he would make you his mate after he conquered us? After he turns us all into a dead pile of ashes you and him would rule together?" he persisted, shoving her. She fell to the floor, cowering under the weight of his furious eyes.

"How stupid of you, Elena." he spat. "The second he gets my crown, the second I die he will have you chopped into pieces and throw you to his pet wolves."

"No!" she said a little offended. Didn't Nick know she was already Damon's mate? Oh God!

"Yes, Love." he said giving her a sinister smile. "You see her, Bex? How she keeps defending her coward boyfriend who had no other good strategy to bring me down other than use my own sister against me to get my crown? And look at this little bitch, who would trade my head in exchange for a few disgusting moments of passion"

"Stop Nick, please." Elena whimpered, humiliated.

"I thought you had a brain, Elena. Are you so blinded by that fucking asshole that you don't see how he is tricking you?"

"Nick..." she tried to speak.

"This is déjà vu, guys!" Klaus exclaimed. He grabbed her by her arm and pulled her up again. He pointed at Rebekah. "You see her? A few decades ago, she defended her Ripper as well. And you know what he did to her? He cheated on her. And not just that, they cornered her and were about to kill her had I not showed up in time. Those brothers flip coins on who gets to seduce my sisters into killing me…"

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Damon is nothing like Stefan and I am nothing like Rebekah. He doesn't need your crown. He is already king of his clan and unlike you he has a heart and…" before she could finish Rebekah threw her wine glass and zoomed in front of her.

"How dare you insult the chief? Do you even realize how diminutive your existence is in front of him? I can't believe I defended you. The Ripper has poisoned your mind against your own family. He has turned you into one of them. Unlike your so called boyfriend we actually care about you. Nick might be heartless to others but he does what is best for his family. You're just a toy to the Rippers, Lena. A pawn in his game. Like I once was. Wake up before it's too late, little sister. It's better to be a loyal sister than a love-struck slut." she spat in a tone filled with disdain.

"Bex! I am sorry! I didn't mean to be disrespectful to Nick. You know I love him more than life itself. I...I'm sorry I said that." She stopped and took a deep breath "But, I didn't commit any crime. I am in love with Damon. I love him."

"Then stop loving him!" Kol snapped.

"I can't!" she cried in frustration.

"She has lost her mind." Rebekah spat.

"Nick! Nick! Listen to me there is nothing in war." Elena said walking past Rebekah to her brother.

"Oh yeah? And who sent this message? Your boyfriend?" Rose took a jibe at her.

"Stay out of it." Elena hissed at her. "It's between me and my siblings"

"This is going nowhere, Klaus." Kol huffed. "Clearly our dear sister has lost her ability to think rationally. We will have to take matters into our own hands" he added, dangerously.

"What do you mean?" Elena gasped.

Klaus rolled his eyes. He hated her concern for the Ripper. Oh, when he gets his hand on that Ripper.

He grabbed his sister by her arm and dragged her to a room. "He means that you're not getting out of this house until his rotting dead body is under my foot!" She winced at the very thought. "No! No…Nick…please…you can't do this to me!" she protested as he pushed her inside a room. "Shut up!" he barked.

"Nick! I am not staying here. I will find my way back to Damon. I love him."

"And what about me Elena? What about my love?"

"I love you, too."

"No, you don't. You taught me a valuable lesson today, Elena. I know that no matter how hard I try...I wouldn't matter to you…"

"Please don't say that. I am sorry that I hurt but I do..."

"Save it, Elena. You crushed my trust completely today."

"No. No. No."

"It's either him or me." he stated, his eyes blazing.

"I love him, Nick." she choked.

"So it's him." Nick said, his tone seeping with hurt. He looked broken. How could his sister choose the Ripper over him?

"No! No! I am not choosing anyone. I love you, Nick. Believe me. You matter the most to me. But he is my world too. I can't live without either of you." she circled her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, sobbing like a child. "I never wanted to hurt you. My love for Damon doesn't change that you're the most important person to me," she declared.

"I don't want to lose either of you." she continued in between sobs. "I am scared Nick-I am really scared. Please hold me," she whimpered. It reminded Klaus of a time when she once nearly got hit by a car and he had jumped in front of it to save her. That night she had clung to him and told him how scared she was by the idea of losing him. Now this was his sister. He wrapped his arms around her trembling body. Her frantic heartbeat calmed a bit as he stroked her hair. "I am scared. Please don't be mad at me. I hate it when you're mad at me. I am really sorry. I never wanted to hurt you," she sniveled.

"It's okay," he murmured.

She immediately looked up at her brother, "You forgive me?"

"You're a child. You made a mistake. Everyone does. Of course I forgive you."

"But…but what about the war?"

"Don't worry, Honey. I'll get us out of this. We will start over. We will live like none of this ever happened."

"I knew you would understand." Elena said, smiling slightly by his sudden change of heart. She buried her face in his chest again.

"Of course. You're my baby sister. I love you. We will live like before we use to. We will be happy again."

"And you will forgive Damon for me, too. Right?" she asked hopefully. "I…I love him, Nick." she added.

"I know," he murmured, kissing the top of her head, "but I hate him." And with that he snapped her neck.

Caroline whimpered. "What have you done?"

"She will live." he replied curtly.

Klaus gathered Elena's limp body in his arms and laid her on the bed. "You and my sister are not to step out of this door," he ordered, glaring at her. "Rose! Keep a watch on them!" he continued. He walked out of the room to where Kol and Rebekah were still standing.

"We attack tonight." he ordered.

"But Nick..."

"They overstepped their boundaries when they poisoned my own sister against me the second time. I can't ever forgive that, let alone forget it. If he came after me I would have let karma do the job, but he defiled and used my little sister. I can't forgive that."

"We fight till every last one of them is a pile of ash." he finalized.

..

..

 **Present time, Mystic Falls—Originals**

"Honey…Wake up!" she could hear Caroline's voice.

"Wha…What? What happened?" she asked in a groggy tone.

"Nick…he snapped your neck," Caroline said as she helped her up.

Elena stared back at Caroline in disbelief. Her brother killed her. Well, it wasn't exactly killing but it still hurt. She was used to being pampered by Klaus. The idea that her big brother hurt her was surreal. Hurt and sadness filled her.

Suddenly all her memories of the day rushed back to Elena. "You…you told him?"

"No. No. I swear I didn't. Elijah did." she corrected.

"Where is he? NICK! NICK!" Elena shouted, afraid for her mate's life.

"He…he went to attack the Rippers."

"Oh God, no!" Elena gasped. "Oh God! What have I done?" she broke into painful sobs. No matter who dies she was the one who would get hurt.

"You can stop them, Elena!" Caroline said shaking her.

"I can't."

"You have to or he will kill your mate"

"NO! No! I would die if that happened." Elena said as she got up. She raced out of the room to the living room, but was blocked by Rose. "Where do you think you're going, Princess?"

"Please! Rose…Let me go. I have to stop them. Nick will kill my mate. Please let me go."

"Mate? HE IS YOUR MATE?!" Rose shouted, enraged. "You formed a bond with my mate's killer?"

"Rose…I swear I tried to save Trevor..."

"I will kill you," Rose growled but before she could attack someone snapped her neck from behind. "Are you okay?" Caroline inquired as she rushed to Elena. "You…you snapped her neck!" Elena gasped.

"Leave that. You need to go, Elena. Stop them." Caroline said as she dragged Elena to the door.

"Yes…Yes…I will!" she mumbled as she sprinted with her best friend towards the door.

..

..

Elena ran towards the boundary line. She had to get there fast. She needed to. This was all her fault. She cursed herself for lying that day. For crossing the boundary that day. Now that she had done it, she had become the cause of a deadly war between two ruthless vampire clans.

Her breathing became harsh once she smelled her brother's scent in the air. He was close. Life escaped through her when she smelled Damon's scent, too. He was there, too. Finally, he would know who she was. Oh, why? Why did she have to lie?

Not that she would ever regret it. She found the love of her life. Her soul mate. But this wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to fall in love with the enemy. Now she had to choose. Between her family and her love. Her soul mate. Her mate.

She took a sharp turn and she nearly lost balance when she saw Damon and her brother snarling at each other with their true vampire visages.

"How fucking dare you touch my sister? How dare you even think you could have her? I will fucking shred you to pieces, you fucking asshole. You're dead! Dead, I tell you!" her half-brother snarled.

"The fuck are you talking about? I'd rather die in a pool of vervain before I touch any slut who's slightly related to you." Damon retorted.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. You have gone too far this time. I won't spare you for this. I will tear your limb from limb. Family is off-limits!" Her brother growled, still in attack stance. Her other siblings supporting her elder brother's statement by snarling at her love, her mate and her mate's family.

"Like I said I have no idea about what the fuck you are talking about, but you step foot in my area and I will stake you myself…treaty be damned," Her mate replied. "and news flash I already have a mate. Bitches from your side are beneath the level of Damon Salvatore." her mate snarled.

Klaus looked at the vampire with disgust. He had a mate and he was playing his sister's feelings. Elena had awfully defended this asshole that was already bonded to someone else for eternity. This news was going to break his sister. He told her…didn't he? That Rippers were never faithful? First Stefan cheated on Rebekah and now his asshole brother toyed with his youngest sister.

"However if your sister still wants a good fuck, send her up. I am sure I can find someone here who would volunteer to show her what real men feel like" he added crassly and Elena nearly snarled. He had a bad habit of taking a jibe at the wrong people at the wrong time.

Klaus looked at Damon in disgust. The coward Ripper wouldn't even admit that he had toyed with Klaus's beloved sister. _Oh Elena,_ _i_ _f only you knew how much of coward your love was_ _,_ Klaus thought.

"Why you filthy…" Klaus growled under his breath, preparing himself to attack.

Elena watched her brother snarl at her mate. He was about to attack when Elena shouted, "Stop!"

All eyes darted to her.

Damon's eyes widened as he saw her. What the hell was she doing here? And why the hell was she on Klaus's territory? He panicked. Klaus would kill her. "Oh, no!" he breathed. He had to think of something quick to save her. He would die if Klaus hurt her. He was about to shout to her to get to his side when a sudden thought crossed his mind.

Elena noticed how Damon's face reflected how horrified he was to find her on enemy territory. She knew what was going through his mind. Male vampires were awfully protective of their mates and could rip anyone in half if someone even looks at their _mate_ the wrong way.

Standing on enemy territory meant immediate death by the rival clan. Little did her mate know that she was part of this territory too. He didn't know that she was half-sister to Niklaus Mikaelson, her mate's biggest enemy.

"Elena," her mate breathed, terrified that Klaus would hurt is love.

Klaus turned around facing her with bloodshot eyes. "Elena! Didn't I tell you to stay at home? What are you doing here?"

"Please…don't…please…" she begged with tears pooling in her eyes.

Her eyes darted to her mate who still looked puzzled.

Damon's eyes narrowed. Klaus knew his mate. But how? He just said that he asked Elena to stay at home…home…? And then some memories rushed to his mind.

" _A mean girl. I was a cheerleader. I wasn't very rude like "The Plastics" but since everyone w_ _as_ _so scared of my brothers, no one dared to mess with me,"_ Elena's voice from the night of their first date echoed in his mind.

" _My best friend's boyfriend, well husband now, is my brother."_

 _"Don't tell me you are already here to take me back home, Nick!"_

 _"He is the other one…my…my cousin brother."_

" _Caroline is my best friend."_

" _Her friend…the girl that entered our territory three months ago…I saw her at the_ _m_ _all in Richmond with the Original whore Rebekah and her worthless mate. Caroline…_ _w_ _asn't that her name_ _,_ _Elena?"_ Stefan's voice from a week ago boomed.

He made the connection. Elena's famous supposed cousin brother was actually her real brother. Nick…Niklaus…Niklaus Mikaelson. "No."

Realization came across his face. _"You're his sister."_ he wasn't asking, he was stating.

His void emotionless face suddenly flickered with emotions. Hurt, because she had hidden such a big detail about herself. Disgust, she was his enemy's sister. Panic, he couldn't possibly live without his mate and he knew Klaus would never let him have her. They were enemies since birth. And finally determination, he had to think of something quick. He refused to give up his mate. Even though at this moment he was disgusted by the sight of her.

Elena nodded, confirming his statement.

"Yes…I was going to tell you but..." she trailed off when she heard her mate's brother growl. "I told you, didn't I? This was all a trap. He must have sent her to finish all of us. This is a new low, even for you Klaus!"

"Oh, quit it! Don't pretend like it wasn't one of YOUR schemes to trap my innocent sister and use her to get rid of me to take my territory. But too bad for you I found out." Klaus hissed at Stefan, her mate's brother.

Damon looked at her with a pained expression. So…this was all a game. Elena Gilb…no, Elena Mikaelson had played with his emotions, his love, and his trust.

Stefan was right all along. Elena was the traitor. Then that meant…she was the one who burned down the White Oak tree forest. Why? Why did she do this to him?

Elena avoided Damon's pain-stricken eyes.

Damon couldn't believe it. After years he had finally opened himself up to someone. After years he had fell for the girl in front of him. A vampire doesn't fall in love easily but when he does there is no going back. He made her his mate. They had shared blood. She was officially his now. How could she betray him like that? Was this all a game to her?

Klaus must have put her to this. It was expected from a lowlife, sick, power-hungry mixed breed like Klaus, but Elena? Elena seemed so pure and innocent. How could she do this?

 _She_ _'_ _s his sister. Of course, she can do this_ _,_ his mind answered for him.

 _But what about me? I don't deserve this. I love her_ _,_ he thought. He loved her so much. He had defended her against everyone. He could die for her if she asked. Was his love so worthless? Was he so worthless that this whole time the girl had been playing with him? He couldn't move. He felt numb.

"Stefan! There was no plan…please let me explain!" she begged.

But it was too late, with the speed of lightning, Enzo crossed the boundary and held her by her neck, snarling at her as he vamped out. Elena screamed.

Almost on instinct, Damon came to her defense in an instant, pushing Enzo off her. Enzo flew back to the other side of the boundary. A second later, Klaus was by her side, too, pushing her mate off her and standing in front of her. Little did her brother know that she was "his" now.

"Don't touch her!" Klaus growled at him.

"She is mine."

"Say that again and I will pull your spleen out." Klaus threatened.

"Nick…Nick! Please! Don't hurt him! He is my mate. Please don't" she said as she tried to get in between the two very furious vampires.

Her words nearly shook her brother. He stared at her in disbelief. Elena cowered under his deathly stare.

No. No fucking way. The Ripper didn't perform the ritual with his sister. That would not only tarnish his reputation but also ruin all his plans. Klaus felt it. The bond between them. Damon had indeed shared blood with his sister. Fuck! No!

"You shared blood with my sister. You made her your Mate. How fucking dare you?" her brother snarled at Damon before he attacked him.

"Nick! Noo!" she screamed.

He jumped on him as he punched him full force in the face sending him flying in the other direction.

"You worthless scum!" Kol snarled.

Stefan rushed to help his brother but Kol held him by his neck. Stefan punctured Kol's arm with a stake, making him howl in pain. Rebekah rushed to him and yanked Stefan away from her brother by his hair. In a matter of seconds, she snapped his neck. Alaric rushed to push Rebekah off Stefan.

Elena's eyes darted to her brother, who had just zoomed in front of Damon. "You have overstepped your boundaries, Salvatore. You not only poisoned my sister's mind but also ruined my great plans."

"If I knew she was your sister, I would have killed her on the very night I met her!" Damon spat as he got up.

Klaus snarled and grabbed him by his neck, "And you think I would have let you live. NEVER!" he growled.

Klaus attacked him but Damon dodged, pulling himself out of Klaus's grip. When Klaus zoomed to him again Damon plunged a stake into his back, making him cry out in pain. Elena sped to her brother's aid and pulled it out. "Damon…please."

Damon glared at her with disdain. No matter how much he loved her, he hated her brother and her family. He wasn't going to spare a single one of them. His eyes said it all. Klaus yanked her wrist and pushed her aside. He vamped out, ready to attack, when Elena flashed in front of her mate.

She stood protectively in front of her mate, "Nick…he didn't know anything. Just like you. Nick…please don't hurt him." she begged.

"You're lying to save his pathetic arse again."

"Please…please!" she begged, tears streaming endlessly down her flushed cheeks.

Damon looked at her with disbelief. Why was she defending him when the only reason she was with him was to kill him and his clan? "Elena, move"

"Or what? You will kill me? Do it. It would be better than this."

Before Elena could register anything Kol had her pulled out of the way. He threw her on the hard ground, hurting her in the process.

"Keep your filthy hands off my fucking mate." Damon glared, zooming to her side to help her up.

"Keep your filthy hands off my fucking sister." Kol growled, stepping in front of Elena.

Damon clenched his teeth and was about to reply when Bonnie shouted, "Damon, look out!" The next second he was pushed to the ground with Klaus hovering above him, holding a stake. He was about to aim at Damon's heart when he started shouting as if someone had set him on fire.

He fell backwards grasping his head. Kol, too, started shouting in a few seconds. Elena looked around. All her clan members were on their knees crying out in pain. Her eyes darted to Bonnie. She was mumbling something under breath. Alaric and Enzo were around her, protecting her.

"Nick! Kol!" she cried as she rushed to her brothers. "Make her stop, please!" Elena begged Damon. He didn't even reply and looked at Enzo as if signaling him to do something. "She can't keep it up much longer. Stake all the Originals." Damon ordered.

A few loud cries followed informing her that Rippers had started staking her family.

"What? No!" Elena protested, appalled.

"How is Stefan?" Damon inquired, ignoring Elena.

"He is knocked out but he is fine," Lexi replied helping him up. Just then Enzo threw a stake which Damon caught expertly.

Elena stood in front of her brothers with her arms spread. "Please…no…they are my brothers."

"Get out of the way, Elena!" Damon hissed, barely controlling his rage for her.

"I won't let you hurt them." Elena reaffirmed, determined.

"I SAID MOVE!" Damon snapped at her. He didn't have much time now. He would deal with his mate's betrayal later.

A low cry escaped Bonnie's mouth and she fell to the ground. The spell broke and Klaus was on his feet again followed by his clan members. Thank God, his sister had held the Ripper off.

He pushed Elena behind him as if afraid Damon would harm her. He snarled at Damon, "Your witch is out. You don't have anything left. You're dead, Ripper!"

It was true. Damon didn't have time to prepare. He had rushed to the border without even informing the werewolves. The Originals' attack was a surprise but now that he thought about it, it wasn't unexpected. Elena must have told them that she had done the job and they didn't have any White Oak trees left. His own mate was going to be the reason of his end.

Alaric looked frantically for anything that could help Enzo's cornered mate. He and Enzo were protecting Bonnie. Stefan was out and the rest of their clan's vampires were fighting against Originals. Suddenly a plan formed in his head. "Enzo…keep your mate safe," he instructed before he flashed to where Elena was standing behind Klaus, begging him to let Damon go.

In one swift move, Alaric grabbed Elena's elbow, then slid an arm around her waist. A stake hovering above her heart. "Let Damon go or you'll never see your precious sister ever again."

For a moment everything paused. Klaus turned around, his eyes widening. "Saltzman…you're digging yourself a grave by messing with me." he threatened.

Alaric smirked. He touched the tip of the stake to Elena's heart.

Damon watched, wide eyed. Had Alaric lost his mind? He was threatening his mate. He was about to warn him against it when realization dawned upon him. Alaric was buying them more time. He wouldn't actually hurt Elena. If Damon could just get out of here and gather the wolves along with the fully powered witches, they might have a chance against the Originals. And for that they needed leverage. Unfortunately, that leverage was his mate.

"If you hurt her I will kill you and everyone you have ever known," Klaus growled.

"Order your clan to stop attacking my vampires," Alaric ordered in a cold tone. Damon flashed to his side, crossing his arms over his chest, doing nothing to stop Alaric from hurting his mate.

After a brief pause. Klaus held his hand up. "STOP!"

All the Originals paused immediately and gathered behind their chief, waiting for his next order. "Now let go of my sister!" Klaus demanded.

"Okay," Alaric said with a smirk. With that he pushed the whimpering girl towards the Ripper chief. With the speed of lightning, Damon wrapped his hands around his traitor mate and flashed away.

Klaus was about to attack when Alaric blocked him. "The girl will be at our mansion. If you step one foot on our territory, we will have her thrown to our wolves."

"This is going to cost you, Saltzman. I will burn your clan to the ground!" Klaus raged.

"I am not finished yet. Your sister and your wife crossed our boundary and tricked us. Your members violated the treaty. We didn't."

Klaus didn't wait for him to finish and was about to launch himself at him when he heard howling from a distance. The wolves. The werewolves had turned and were rushing towards them. They couldn't attack now.

"Klaus! It's the wolves!" Kol said in a horrified tone. He had irrational fear of werewolves. "We have to go," he added.

"Not without Honey." Klaus replied. In his rage to get revenge he had never accounted for the wolves. Fuck! It was thirteenth of the month. A night close to the full moon. The wolves would be most powerful tonight. If he wanted to kill the Rippers he would have to attack in the daytime. But what about his sister?

"We will bring the council after them." Kol replied.

"Have you lost your mind? They have Elena!"

"We will come back at dawn, when the wolves turn back."

"Listen to your brother, Klaus. You don't want to fight with my clan right now." Alaric mocked.

"Nick! We can't leave Honey!" Rebekah proclaimed, concern coloring her tone.

"Bex! They won't dare to hurt her. She is their leverage. She will be fine. We will retrieve her tomorrow morning." Kol growled.

"Fine...We will go back tonight." Klaus decided.

Alaric scoffed.

Klaus snarled at him. "I will be back."

"I am counting on it," Alaric smirked in response.

"Retreat!" Klaus ordered.

..

..

Beta credits to .bitch also known as Nuha T. Thank you for your amazing skills.

Review?


	20. A broken girl & A crushed lover

**Chapter 19 : 'A broken girl, A crushed lover'**

* * *

"Who are you?" he hissed.

She cowered under his stare and looked away. "I ASKED YOU SOMETHING!" he shouted, making her shiver. She mustered all her courage and looked up at him. His furious and hurt eyes stared back, causing tears to pool in hers. Why? Why were his warm eyes so cold to her right now? She missed everything about him. His passionate love, his warm smile, his protective arms. And the sad part was, it was all her fault that she lost it all.

Her head dropped in shame, a sob escaping her lips. She felt his stone cold hand grip her face and lift it back up. "ANSWER ME!" he roared.

She whimpered slightly in fear. His eyes were filled with so much hurt and disgust it scared her. Why couldn't he just stake her right now? He was everything that was broken in the world right now, and it was all her fault. "I am…I am so sorry," she managed to choke out.

Sorry? The very word seemed an insult. He shook his head slightly. How much lower could this ORIGINAL girl sink? She agreed to be his mate just to kill him and his family. Everything she ever did for him, every moment they shared, every touch, every kiss...was all just a cruel lie. She had a motive from the very start. And that was to take over his side of Mystic Falls. Was this half of town more important than his endless devotion and unconditional love for her? Not once did she think he was worthy of her true love.

She almost whimpers from the way he stared at her. "Please…Please don't look at me like that," she begged, tears cascading down her flushed cheeks.

He felt a strong urge to kiss away her tears but he resisted. She didn't deserve it. After all, to her he was just a means to an end, a source of power. She had just used him. He flinched, pulling his hands away from her face. "I…I don't know you," he said standing up on his legs. She mimicked him, shaking her head. "Please…don't say that. I'm…I'm still me. I'm still your Elena."

"No…you aren't," he denied, shaking his head. "I don't know you…the girl I know…the girl I love…she isn't you. I don't know you," he mumbled, more to himself than her. She held his hand and led to her chest on placing it on her slow, beating heart. "It _is_ me…I'm still me…I'm your Elena. I love you."

He pulled back as if burned by her touch. He felt almost pained as he held back, knowing what would happen if she continued to touch him. She would manipulate him again.

"No. No. No. You're not my Elena. You were never mine. You're one of them," he resolved with utmost disgust.

"Damon…"

He let out a humorless chuckle taking a few steps back. "Wow…You fooled me well, baby. Really, hands down to your performance," he said with mock appreciation.

"Damon…please…you have to listen to me!" she whimpered as she tried desperate to get closer.

"No! No! Stay away from me," he said, his hands in front of him in warning.

"Good going, Miss Mikaelson. Now that the truth is out you should stop pretending that you're in love with me…"

"I am not pretending..." she tried to argue, but he put a finger on her mouth. "Hush…shush…don't you think that's enough lies for at least one lifetime?" he said almost playfully.

"Now, as I was saying. You, Elena Mikaelson, deserve an Oscar nomination for your acting abil…" she didn't let him finish. "Stop it! Stop it! Damon, please. Please give me a chance to explain."

He shook his head furiously, "No! You can't. No one can. There is no fucking explanation for what you did!" His face flushed with mad rage. In his madness, he kicked the wooden tabletop, which sent it whirling to the marble floor. Elena let out a whimper in fear. Giving a savage cry, he punched the glass counter behind her breaking it in half, making her shriek in fear. She had never seen him so deranged. "Damon…Damon…stop," she repeated, sobbing. He turned his gaze back to her eyes, blazing like flames as his breaths fell in swift pants.

"You will hurt yourself," she pleaded as if she could feel his pain. As if his pain caused her pain.

Elena stepped closer and held the irate vampire's wrists. He instantly looked down too. The glass tore off his skin. Blood flowed down and stained the marble floor. The pain from his bloodied fists was nothing compared to the pain she caused him by betraying him and lying to him. He pulled his wrists away from her light grasp. She really needed to stop pretending she cared about him.

She saw the fury in his eyes. Before she could step away he grasped her by the shoulders and pushed her against the wall. "Why the hell do you care? Who the fuck are you to care about ME?" he gritted out through his teeth.

By now she was crying all over again. "I know that you're hurting but you need to listen to me. I wanted to tell you. I really did…" she tried to speak through the heavy sobs.

His eyes narrowed. Did she really think he'd buy her lame excuses? His eyes lingered over her crying face in disbelief. He could feel her desperation but he shut her out. He wasn't going to get manipulated by her anymore. She was trapped between him and the wall, quivering in fear and desperation. Her eyes were swollen and puffy, her cheeks red, and her hands shaking in fear from him or maybe from the fear of losing him. He chose to believe the former. Fear had never looked more beautiful on someone like it did on her.

Suddenly she felt his thumb stroking her cheek, wiping away her tears. She sniffed, looking up at him with hopeful light in her eyes. Finally some affection… _Maybe, he will understand now_ _,_ she thought.

"Don't waste them, beautiful. Crying won't work anymore," he said coldly.

She let out a sob. She wanted her Damon back. Not this cold one. His empty eyes scared her. She wanted to win his love back. "Damon! I know that you're hurt and I don't blame you but I didn't have a choice. I wanted to tell you everything… God, I really did. Just trust…"

He hissed when she used the word "trust". He rolled his icy blue eyes and pushed her against the wall. "Trust you? Trust a Mikaelson? The word trust doesn't look good coming out of a Mikaelson." he spat.

She shook her head and tried to cup his face, but he stepped back in order to keep the distance between them. "Damon…at least listen to what I want to say. I am not asking you to forgive me. But please hear me out," she pleaded, her mesmerizing brown eyes sparkled with tears. He used to love them before. He always thought her eyes were honest. That's why he loved her eyes so much, to the point of obsession. But they spoke lies, just like her. He looked away, shaking his head.

"I know why you did it. You did it for your family. But what did you achieve in hurting me, Elena? Why would you hurt a person whose only intention was to love you fully. Even if I let it go...even if I forgive you, it still doesn't change the fact that our relationship was nothing but lies. All fucking lies." he raged, picking up the nearest object and throwing it in the opposite direction.

"How did I not see it? I believed all the fucking lies you told me. All those fake stories. Oh God! Stefan told me over and over again but I was so blinded by…" he was mumbling to himself. His words sliced at her shattered heart.

"God, I was such a fool. Now because of you, my clan is at stake. Their blood would be on my hands because I…" he gasped as if he couldn't breathe. "This is all my fault," he said, covering his face with his hands. He looked like everything he ever loved was crumbling down into pieces around him. His love and his family. His mate was his traitor. His family's lives were at stake and it was entirely his fault.

Even more guilt ate at her when he continued. "I was just trying to keep it real with you, Elena. I wanted to give you everything you had ever dreamed of. Why did you do this to me?" she cut him off as she tried to get closer to the broken man in front of her. She couldn't bear his pain. His words pierced her heart. She circled her arms around his torso and buried her face into his chest. "Damon…I am so sorry. I wanted to tell you. But I was scared of losing you. I was scared. Everything happened so fast…I was just trying to keep my head. I was scared that if I tell you the truth…the Rippers would kill me. You would kill me…" she said hurriedly.

She clung to him fiercely as she continued trembling and crying, begging for his forgiveness, explaining her reasons. "I didn't want to become a reason to start a war between the two clans. I…I never wanted to hurt you, Damon. I love you so much!" she pleaded.

Seeing her break down like that really hurt him. Her pain was his pain. He wanted to comfort her. She was clinging to him as if her life depended on it. She was begging him to understand her reasons. He wanted to understand, he really did. But he couldn't. She was one of _them_. She was an Original. He couldn't comfort his enemy. Comforting her would mean choosing her over his family. He couldn't do that. Three clans were at stake because of this one girl. He was the chief. All of their lives depended on him. He couldn't be just her lovestruck fool anymore. _I'm_ _the Ripper chief_ , he reminded himself.

He grasped her elbows and harshly pushed her away from him, even though it hurt him even more. "I said, don't touch me! This…this whole charade is not going to work anymore. I know the truth now. You're one of them. You're an Original." He spat. "Traitor…liar," he whispered, looking at her as if her very existence disgusted her.

She felt her heart break even further. He had never once raised his voice against her, let alone speak to her that way. She was used to being treated like a queen by him. Tears streamed down her face in shock. She shook her head stepping toward him. "I…I didn't betray you. I didn't betray anyone…"

He scoffed, looking away.

"I never rooted for this war in the first place. Why don't you get it? I am not a set up," she said, weeping.

"I would believe you but the evidence points otherwise" he said, harshly.

"Damon…I..."

"Okay…Just answer this then I will forgive you. And I will forget everything. Just the truth this once," he said closing his eyes for brief second, taking a deep breath. "Were you the one who set fire to the white oak forest?" he asked.

Her pulse quickened, and her eyes widened in panic. She held her breath. What do she do now? How could she explain to him that she had no idea why she did that?

"That's what I thought," she heard him hiss.

Her silence answered everything. He could feel the tears welling in his eyes but he stubbornly held them back. He wasn't going to show his enemy how hurt he was because of her betrayal, because of her selfishness (and to his utmost disgust) because of the thought of losing her.

"Damon…I don't know how…" she tried to explain.

"Enough!" he said holding his hand up. "If it had just been about my heart I would have forgiven you. I would have even let you go. But this is about my pride. This is about my family. My clan is off limits, Miss Mikaelson!" he snarled, taking a step closer to the Mikaelson girl.

She stepped back in fear from him. "Damon…I have no idea how that happened. I don't know what possessed me. I didn't do it on purpose…"

She was cut off by his humorless chuckle. A dark look emerged on his face, making her whimper. This was the look he gave Trevor before he ordered him to be thrown at wolves. A lump formed in her throat. Her lover was long gone…this was the Ripper chief she was facing.

Grabbing her by her waist, hauling her body against his own he gripped her chin. "You honestly expect me to believe that?" he hissed.

"Damon…you're hurting me!" she wailed, trying to get out of his cruel grasp.

"Tell me why did you do it?"

"Damon…please…let me go."

"Was one half of a town more important than me?" he hissed.

"Damon...stop it!" she said squirming to get free from his hold.

"Was there even a day when you didn't lie to me? Every touch, every kiss was a lie. Wasn't it?"

"You're hurting me, Damon! You're hurting me!" she cried.

His grip on her chin loosened as he snapped out of a trance. He looked at the light red marks on her chin by his grip. He felt disgusted with himself. His eyes darted to the slight red finger prints on her cheek. Before he could say anything she pulled back from him.

"I am not a set up, Damon. This is all a misunderstanding," she spoke. "Please you have to believe me. I would die before I intentionally hurt you. I love you."

He hissed as if her words burned him.

"Don't say that. Stop saying that!" He raged. "Your only intention for coming here was to trap me and use me to destroy my clan."

She flinched by his words. How could he say that? Couldn't he see how much she loved him? Couldn't he feel her honest emotions. He always trusted her. Why couldn't he trust her this one last time?

"Your hatred for my brothers is blinding you to the truth. Damon…Damon…believe me. Just this one last time!" she pleaded.

Brother…Klaus was her brother. Ugh. He just remembered. This filled him with disgust. How could she ever relate to a monster like him? She was related to Niklaus Mikaelson…this truth filled him with malice.

He stepped back away from her in disgust. Of course, Klaus has her set on trapping him. How low could that lowlife sink? First Katherine, now Elena. Katherine, he could understand. She was just one of his minions. But Elena…Klaus sent his own sister to trap him.

"Of course. How did I ever miss that your lowlife, lunatic, greedy son-of-a-bitch brother set you up on this. You're right. It's quarter your fault. You and your slut sister do whatever they are told…" he was cut off by her angry hiss.

"My brother didn't know anything. He found out today, just like you did. And I'm sorry to burst your bubble but my family is not the least interested in this baseless strategy to get the town. They aren't Stefan," she snapped at him.

She was standing in front of her biggest enemy and talking about his brother like that, as if his brother was some sort of filth. In a way, to her and her family, they were filth. Originals considered themselves royalty.

He walked towards her and stood in front of her, crossing his arms across his chest. "Then why the fuck are you here?"

He latched onto her wrist and turned her forcefully, so they were eye-to-eye. She swallowed thick, suddenly nervous.

"Because you started this. I tried to stop you, didn't I? I told you that we could never work. I told you that we are catastrophic, I told you we were a mistake but you insisted on taking a chance. YOU followed me around. YOU left me no option but to go out with you. I tried to put an end to us but YOU wouldn't let me!" she reminded him, sniffling.

He rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter. It could be your strategy…to make me fall for you." he said.

Her jaw dropped at his comment. "I didn't try anything!"

"What else can I expect from Klaus Mikaelson and his sister? I can understand sending a pretty minion to drive a wedge between me and my brother in order to get our territory, but sending his beautiful sister…that son of a bitch can do anything for power." he said, turning his gaze away from her.

"He didn't send me," she immediately corrected.

"Like hell he didn't," he spat.

"Please…"

"Fine. For the sake of argument. I will believe for a second that he didn't send you and you're here on your own accord. Then why didn't you tell me who you were?" he demanded.

"I was going to but I never got the—"

"You never got the chance!" he completed incredulously. "Stop fucking with me, Elena. You've had far too many chances."

"The first time we met…" she continued but he cut her off.

"It's been almost four fucking months to the first time we met," he reminded her.

She tried to speak but nothing came to her mind. How could she possibly explain it to him? How could she explain her fears? He was far too angry. He didn't want to understand her problems.

"I couldn't just…" she tried to explain, tears welling in her eyes again. He arched a brow. "Why?"

"Because you would have killed me. Your clan would have killed me. And if that wasn't enough. Since I was the one who broke the treaty you would have had an excuse to gain alliance of all the clans and start a war against my brother" she spoke. "Yes, I lied. I lied a lot to you. You're right, our whole relationship had been based on lies but…I didn't have a choice…I was scared. I was afraid. I was saving my life and countless others." She stopped when he hissed furiously and dropped onto the couch.

She instantly dropped on her knees next to him and reached for his hands, holding them tightly in hers. "But believe me Damon. I tried to keep you away. I never wanted any of this to happen. But I fell in love. It wasn't planned. I didn't know how it happened and when it happened… I found myself falling deeply in love with you. I know that I have lied about a lot to you. I have hurt you in the worst way possible. But this is the truth. This is the most real thing I have ever felt. This is my only truth. I love you, Damon!" she said looking up at him hopefully, sobbing like a child.

She heard him say something. "One of them," he was mumbling to himself. He pulled his hands out of her grasp. He stood up and walked away from her, leaving her sitting on the floor.

Rejected, unwanted, and shocked, tears were streaming even her harder down her flushed cheeks. He was about to walk towards the counter to pour himself a drink, when he heard her voice.

"I know you're ashamed of me. You consider me your biggest mistake. But I loved you. I still do. I knew you were my family's enemy. I…never felt ashamed of you," she gasped as if she couldn't breathe before she continued. "I knew you would leave me. I knew when you found out about me you would never want anything to do with me…At least Nick accepted me. I shouldn't have left him…I should've…" she mumbled covering her face with her hands, sobbing.

His frown grew hearing her words.

"They told me to stay away from you. Care told me you were nothing but trouble," she said, weeping. "But I didn't. I knew who you were and yet I fell in love with you. Insanely. Madly. Regardless of that fact that I have been brought up by people who called you and your clan filth. Trash. I let you break down my walls. I broke rules for you. I let you touch me even when I was taught that you and everyone in your clan were untouchable, filth. You know why?" she stopped.

He didn't answer, his eyes stayed on her lap where her fingers were playing with the hem of her skirt now. She looked up at him, her hopeless, sad, brown eyes staring back. "Because it didn't matter to me. I knew loving you was forbidden but I didn't care. I didn't care of the stories they made up about you. I fought for us knowing we were impossible. I told my brother that I chose you. I told him that you are my world. My siblings hate me now because of you. I have to suffer my brother's hatred because of you. But I don't care. I'm ready to take it all for you." She said looking up to him through her wet lashes.

Tears after tears slid down her cheeks.

"I…I shared blood with a man who is known to be a cruel monster in my town. But it never mattered to me. I know you can feel my emotions. Yet you don't want to believe me. Just because you found out now that I am an Original. I looked past the Ripper, didn't I? But you keep focusing on the fact I am a Mikaelson. You are not even trying to look past my Original tag," she said with a humorless chuckle in the end.

"I didn't fall in love with the Ripper chief. I fell in love with the man—Damon Salvatore. So when I am with him…I don't see the man that my family despises or the man who despises my family. I see the man who…makes me laugh…who protects me, who promised that he would never make me cry..." Her voice broke into a sob on the last word, but she hiccupped and continued.

"I can't take anything back. I know that what I did was wrong but I didn't have any other choice. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm just asking you to understand that I never ever meant to hurt you or anyone you loved. I love you so much..." Deep, painful sobs wrenched her body, as she buried her face in her hands again.

Her sobs of pain racked his heart. He felt the raw pain she was feeling. Her desperation, her fear, and her pain were real. She wasn't lying.

She was crying when she felt him try to remove her hands from her face. Damon felt her tremble at his touch. He gripped her chin lightly and made her look up.

He was still hurt and unconvinced. "You say you never meant to hurt me and my family. But you did. My clan is in danger because of you. You did admit that you burned down the white oak tree forest."

"I don't know what came over me…I don't know how that happened," she said hurriedly.

His eyes darkened again. What did she mean she doesn't know? Of course, she does. He pulled his hand back.

"What do you mean you don't? You do know. STOP FUCKING LYING TO ME!" he raged. She flinched and getting away from him.

"I am not lying. I don't even remember…" she was about to continue when he shouted. "ENOUGH!"

"No…no...I really don't know what happened. Damon…please, I have no idea how I…"

"Stop it, Elena."

She held his hands, pleading again. "Damon…Damon…please trust me this one last time. I can't explain it. But it was like there was a voice in my head which kept telling me that I had to do it. It was like I was compelled (he scoffed at this claim). Please…please…don't hate me. I swear I wouldn't dream of hurting you…"

Her eyes stung when tears streamed down her face again. She had been crying all day. She was tired, hungry, and emotionally drained. Her face was stained with tear tracks. She just wanted this to be over with. She was tired of explaining herself.

"I…I don't hate you. I want to hate you but I don't," he admitted, caressing the side of her face softly. She leaned in to his touch, closing her eyes.

"But that doesn't change anything. You're still the traitor. You're still the reason my clan is at stake." he added harshly.

"Damon…please…"

"You've hurt me, Elena. I put my trust in you. I shared my secrets with you…"

"Damon, I didn't have a choice. This is all a misunderstanding. Caroline accidentally crossed the border that day. I was just here to save her. She is young, she didn't know the rules. She was scared. She is my best friend. What was I supposed to do? We didn't have any hidden agenda. I am not a spy. I lied because I never dreamt that there would be a day when I would fall for the chief of Rippers. I lied to save my life…I didn't have a choice," she explained her reasons.

"Fine…for the sake of argument let's say I believe you…but you still lied to me. You betrayed my trust. I…you never trusted me enough to share your true identity with me. I am not hurt by what you did. That's a completely different thing. I am hurt because you faked your whole identity. Elena, I…I don't even know you. How am I supposed to defend you now? How am I supposed to explain to my clan that their queen, my mate, isn't who she pretended to be.

"I am the chief. I am supposed to be just. I am supposed to keep my town safe. I am supposed to keep my clans safe. How will I ever keep them safe when I couldn't even recognize the person practically living with me? This will all come down to my judgment.

"How am I supposed to look in everyone's eyes now? How will I ever escape the shame that I put my trust…that I fell in love with my enemy…that the town that I am supposed to protect, I kept it under the stare of an intruder? How will I answer that the girl that I love, that the Ripper Queen, is actually a death angel for us all? How am I supposed to explain that my mate is the sister of a person who wants to kill us all? A person who has harassed them for years and abused each and every one of them in the past."

"Baby…" Elena choked.

"No…no…you don't understand. They will demand me to stake you. Do you know what position have you put me in? How am I supposed to kill the love of my life? My mate? And If I don't…they will scoff at me for going weak. They will scoff at me for letting my family's enemy breathe."

"I know no one would understand us. But there is still a way," she said getting on her knees. She cupped his face, making him look at her, tears streaming down her cheeks. She knew how he felt. He was torn between his family and her. He couldn't choose. Just like she couldn't.

"We…we could run away. Away from all this. We will have each other. We don't need any of this. I don't need a kingdom. I only want you." she said, nodding.

He looked at her. Could he do that? Run away with her? The offer was tempting. Her words were appealing. He knew he couldn't live without her. She was saying exactly what he wanted to hear.

But she had just cheated him. She had lied about everything. Every kiss, every caress, every touch was a lie. Why should he believe her? What if this was another strategy to get him alone and kill him? And besides what about his family? He couldn't just abandon them. He was responsible for their lives. He couldn't abandon them when death was lurking around them all. They have chosen him to be the chief. They had chosen him to make life and death decisions. He was the Ripper King. Responsibility called.

He shook his head, smiling humorlessly, "No. We can't. I am the chief. I am not going to abandon my family for a traitor."

He watched her become crushed piece by piece in front of him. "So they matter and I don't?" she said in a hurt tone.

"You brought this on yourself. You lied to me, betrayed me and hurt me like I have never been hurt before. You are solely responsible for your position."

"Okay," she choked, true hurt permeating her tone as well as her face. His heart ached at her state but he put on a cold facade. She struggled to stand but couldn't find life in her legs. She stumbled slightly. "Then I am not staying at a place where I am considered nothing. I disobeyed my brother but he still accepts me." she mumbled as she got up.

His eyes narrowed at her statement. "I will beg Nick for his forgiveness. He will take me back. He will understand. I won't bother you again…" she said as she turned around to leave.

He lunged at her and yanked her by her wrist, turning her around. His hands gripped her upper arms. His warm breath fanned her face. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked harshly. She looked up at him. His icy blue eyes were cold and serious, his face a mask of anger and cruelty. She swallowed thick, frightened. This man wasn't the love of her life. He was the Ripper chief.

"Home..." she choked.

She tried to release herself but his death grip wouldn't allow her. "Game over, Miss Mikaelson. This isn't your brother's territory. Mikaelsons don't hold free will here. You do as I say. With that being said, I also want to inform you that you're going nowhere until this war is over for good…until the ORIGINALS are tore down limb by limb."

She flinched at his words.

He chuckled. "You think I am an idiot? You say a few melodramatic lines and get out of here so you can plot your little sick world domination plans with that son-of-a-bitch brother of yours by using all the information you collected here? Sorry baby, but lovestruck fool button is flipped!" he spat.

"Yeah, and asshole Ripper chief button is switched on. Damon, let go of my hand!" she ordered, pushing him away from her as tears shone in her entrancing brown eyes. There was a slight venom to her tone. It hurt him.

 _So she does hate me_ , he thought. All her confessions of undying love were fake. She was trying to save herself once again.

He smirked, stepping towards the frightened young vampire. Of course, he knew that. She stepped back until she was trapped between the wall and him. "I would be extra nice to me if I were you," he said touching her cheek with the back of his fingers. She trembled by his touch. He figured it was because she was disgusted by him. _Of course, she thinks I'm trash_ _,_ he presumed. He worshiped her like a goddess. But she was all fake. She didn't love him. But what about the raw love he felt in her emotions just a moment ago? Maybe, the mating bond was just a manipulation, like her.

"Damn it! Damon…let me go," she said in her old naggy tone, the one that she used in their initial days of dating. Did she really think that would work now?

"I am not taking orders from you, baby. Let me remind you. You're in my town. You're with the Rippers. This is not your brother's pride, Princess. You are certainly in no position to give orders. You're trapped." he said, pouting just to mock her.

"Yes, I am. Just like that day, when Caroline crossed the borders. She got caught and I agreed to help her. Bonnie recognized us. Caroline managed to escape but I got caught." she said.

"Nice story. Hollywood can make a movie out of it," he said with a disbelieving chuckle.

She tried to push him away but he held her firmly. She sighed, giving up. He was 170 years her senior. Her power was nothing compared to his. "That's my first truth to you in our entire relationship…after the fact that I love you truly."

He took a deep breath as if annoyed by her. She sighed and decided to take a different approach. "Put yourself in my shoes. Just imagine, if you turn up in Original territory to save one of your friends, Bonnie or Enzo. Imagine one of the Originals catches you all alone and defenseless. They threaten you like you threatened me that day. I bet my life that you would never tell them you're a Ripper. You would have lied too," she continued.

"You could have tried—"

"I didn't, okay. I was scared. At first, I was just trying to keep my head but then I started falling for you. I lied because I didn't want to lose you. I lied because I knew you that once you found out my reality you would never love me. I was greedy and selfish. I wanted you. I loved you. So I lied over and over again just to spend one more day with you. I wanted your love. I had no other intention or motive. And I'm not sorry. If I end up in this situation again…I will do the same." she admitted.

Her emotions were sincere. He could sense her love and her devotion. For a moment, he thought of abandoning his clan and running away with her. Her love was pure. He wanted to believe her emotions. He wanted to believe her…but why trust a girl who faked her whole identity? Maybe the mating bond was a deceit of the mind. Maybe, she knew how to control her emotions. Maybe, she was using them against him.

"I love you, Elena," he whispered, caressing her cheek. She looked up, hopeful. "I love you so much that it hurts to breathe without you." he said, nuzzling her temple. She closed her eyes in great reprieve.

"But you're my enemy's sister. You're his spy. My family is at stake because of you. I can't forgive you for that. Just because I love you, doesn't mean you're going to get away with this…I lived 175 years without you. I can live the rest of my life without you, too" he said, his voice shaking, sending a cold shiver down her spine.

Her eyes widened at his statement.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with hurt and slight fear. "Fine. Then I am going home to my siblings. This, whatever was between us, is over." she snapped at him.

His heart ripped in half at her harsh words. Her words hurt him in the worst way possible. She squirmed like an angry kitten in his hold while he tried to recompose his face.

"Let's not be quick with decisions, Baby Vamp." he said angrily. "Because if we are...I have one, too. Guards!" he called aloud. She stared at him in disbelief. _He_ _'s_ _going to kill_ _me,_ she thought.

"Damon…" she pleaded, clinging to his arm. "Don't do this. It wasn't my fault. Please…let me go..." she whimpered.

He could feel her dread. Her tears and her fear broke him but he held his firm stance. He was a just leader. He couldn't give her special treatment just because she was the love of his life. That would be unfair to his clan who stood by him through every thick and thin. The clan and the family that would die for him, if he asked for it.

The female vampires grasped her, yanking her away from him. She tried to struggle. Tears were flowing down her face in streams. "Please…don't. I am scared," she pleaded with him. He felt a strange urge to kill all the guards who were pulling her away from him. His primal instinct to save his mate was taking over his senses. He turned around. He closed his eyes to keep himself in control, his knuckles clenched.

"Please…I will do anything you say," he could hear her plead.

"Take her to the cellar," he choked, trying his best not to break down. "Keep her their until Bonnie can make other arrangements."

He would have to keep her locked up in cellar until Bonnie cast a spell one of the rooms that would make it impossible for her to step a foot out of the room.

"No—Damon, Don't please. I was forced to lie. It wasn't a set up. I swear the circumstances were insane. I didn't have a choice!" she shouted, struggling.

Her pain was causing him physical pain. Her fear was so genuine it shook him. It was driving him into his protect-my-mate frenzy. He clenched his fist and struck it against the table, just to control his rage.

"Inject her with vervain," ordered one of the guards.

"I am trying," the other girl answered. Elena vamped out, snarling at the girl to keep her distance. She growled at them, ordering them to release her.

He spun around and flashed in front of her. She quivered seeing him. She backed off. Even in her vampire state she didn't want to hurt him. That should have been enough proof for her loyalty. But his trust in her was crushed one hour ago, when Klaus declared her as his sister.

He took the syringe from the girl harshly and walked towards his mate. She backed away like an injured kitten. The guards held her firmly to him, making it impossible for her to move. He injected the stinging substance into her vein. She whimpered in agony, panting heavily before her body became limp and she passed out in his arms.

At the moment, he wanted to protect her from everyone. Most of all himself. Elena's lover and the Ripper chief were fighting within him. _Beautiful…_ , he thought as he caressed her puffy cheeks. _A beautiful trap,_ a voice reminded him. _She is here to kill your family…_ , it added. He stiffened at the thought.

"Take her away. I don't wish to see her," he said as he handed her carefully to one of the guards. He turned around and sprinted to his room, hiding the burning tears that he could hold back no longer. He sat on the bed and hid his face in his hands. There seemed to be no end to his agony. A lone tear trickled down his cheek, then another. A man could only take so much hurt, so much pain. His fingers trailed up to his hair, fisting it as he pulled the black strands from their roots. The pain was unbearable.

He attuned himself to her, unknowingly. He could feel her dread laced emotions even though she was unconscious. Her trust in him…in his love was breaking. Fear was taking over her fragile soul. And even though she was the traitor, the one who betrayed him, the one who was the reason his clan was in jeopardy, he felt guilty. He was ashamed. He felt as if someone had set him on fire.

He just wanted to get this over with. For a moment, he was tempted to grab her from the cellar and make a run for it. But three clans depended on him.

He sighed in desperation. If only someone would wake him up now and tell him that it was all a dream and Elena wasn't a traitor…she was still his beautiful angel. He didn't give a fuck about anything as soon as he tuned in to her emotions. It tortured him. Her pain and her fear tormented him. He swallowed thickly as he fell back on the bed. He could still smell her fragrance on the sheets. His heart raced. This is was her effect on him. She managed to drive him crazy even if she wasn't in the room.

He closed his eyes, imagining her. "Elena..." he breathed. Her smiling face, came in front of him. Her beautiful eyes that could light up the room…her shiny hair swishing when she walked, her soft cheeks. He shifted restlessly, breathing rapidly. He imagined her giggles. A soft smile played on his lips. "My Elena," he breathed. The picture changed suddenly. It turned into a dreadful image. An image that made him shiver. Instead of her giggles, he could hear her whimpers, her sobs. Instead of her shining eyes, he saw her hurt, swollen eyes, empty, emotionless. This was Elena from a few moments ago before he vervained her. The image plunged daggers into his cold dead heart.

To fuck with the rules. He couldn't bear it. He needed her now. He can save her. He would beg everyone to let her go. He got up from the bed and raced to his door. He sprinted down the hall toward the basement. Alaric and Stefan's voice snapped him out of his frenzy to get her. They were all back.

Bonnie was still knocked out, in Enzo's arms. He carried her hurriedly to a guest room. Stefan's eyes shot daggers at him.

"We held them off for the time being. They will return tomorrow. Mason and his team are on guard duty tonight," Alaric said as he took step towards him.

He nodded.

"You were going toward the cellar?" Stefan asked, eyeing him cautiously.

Before he could reply Alaric held up his hand. He could see Damon wasn't looking stable and Stefan's behavior wasn't helping. "I need to talk to you…come with me to the office," Alaric said. Damon nodded in reluctant agreement. Alaric walked towards the room upstairs. Damon looked back at the basement stairs, where the love of his life was tied up, before he followed Alaric.

 **Mystic Falls—Originals.**

Klaus had wasted no time in calling the all the clans that had once pledged to help him if he went to war against the Rippers. He had also called the Council. The one Lord closest to the town arrived on short notice.

"With the first ray of sun, I will order my sons to commence attack. I don't care if you support me or not," Mikael growled at the Lord, a weeping Isobel clinging to his arm.

"Your daughter-in-law is the one who broke the treaty first," Lord Hummel reminded him.

"The Ripper shared blood with my daughter…that is unforgivable!" he seethed.

"It takes two to tango" Lord Hummel replied, coldly.

"ARE YOU BLAMING MY SISTER?" Rebekah seethed, "Clearly the Ripper brainwashed her."

"My dear Princess, your sister is a grown woman."

"She is a child compared to that lunatic. He is the most devious of them all. I know him personally. He doesn't breathe without scheming. He must have tricked her," Kol defended his sister. He was already feeling guilty enough about leaving her.

"They broke the treaty, Lord. They are still holding my sister captive as we speak," Klaus reminded him. "The spirit of the treaty is dead. We attack at dawn. Unless the Rippers return my sister."

"Niklaus! There is nothing in war. They have Bennett witches. Launching a war on such short notice is just plain stupidity!" he tried to convince them. He had strict orders from the Council to make sure the war was postponed.

Klaus clenched his fist. The fear for his sister's life was driving him mad. He had to get her back home. Safe and sound. He fell on the couch, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"I don't care. Whatever happens…happens." he said, determined.

"You're not thinking straight."

"Damn right, I'm not thinking straight! The Rippers have my little sister. They will kill her if I don't take quick action!" Klaus replied.

"If Elena is the Ripper's mate he wouldn't dream of hurting her," Lord Hummel pointed out.

Ripper's mate. Elena was the Ripper's mate now. Klaus thought. Fuck! In his frenzy to get his little sister back, he completely forgot about the spell. He was sure the spell must have been triggered. Soon, Elena would be with child. And to his utmost disgust, a Ripper's child. His own weapon would backfire on him if he didn't get her back soon. He refused to let his years of scheming go to waste. Also, his siblings were his pride. People would laugh at him if he let her live with the Ripper. No. There was no fucking way he could allow them to be together. He must bring her back.

Sure, she was Damon's mate. And the mating bond can't be broken but he had other ways to make Elena forget the Ripper. He couldn't break the blood bond but he knew exactly what to do to wipe the Ripper from her mind.

As if on cue, Mikael looked up at him. He knew his father was thinking the same.

"Klaus! Just give us some time. Let the Council deal with the Rippers. Damon has to listen to the Council. If he refuses our decision the elder ones will join forces with you against them. You'll have the upper hand. But if you initiate the war first the Council will consider it as disrespect to them and will join forces with him. You don't want that, do you? Why wage a war when we can get the girl back by table discussions?" he tried to convince the enraged vampire.

"Listen to me, Hummel. I'll give you and the fucking Council a day to convince the Rippers to hand my sister back to us. If by this time tomorrow Elena isn't here sitting next to me, I will launch a war against the Rippers and I will kill every fucking person who stands in my way. Be it the damn Council or the Rippers. You have twenty-four hours. Get to work!" he spat.

"That's all the time we need. Don't worry Klaus, I assure you that we will get the girl back from them," assured Lord Hummel.

They sat across from each other, elbows on a thickly varnished teak table. Alaric looked at the broken man sitting in front of him. He suddenly looked a lot more older than he physically was. He looked a wreck, his eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled. His mind was somewhere else and he would flinch now and then as if someone was ruthlessly torturing him.

Alaric knew what it was. Elena's agonized emotions were torturing him. The mate connection was a blessing and at the same time a curse too. Before he could open his mouth. Damon spoke. " I know what you're going to say. They all want me to kill her, Don't they? But I can't do it. I refuse to do it and I won't allow anyone to hurt her," he declared in a strict tone.

"Damon…"

"No, I know she is the enemy. I know she is Klaus's sister. She is the traitor and the one who burned down the forest. But I don't care…she is my soulmate. How can I kill my own soul? I can't do it. I have given endless devotion and service to my clan, yet I never asked anything in return. But I demand for her life to be spared. I will take her away from here. I'll…"

"Damon! I'm not asking you to kill her," Alaric said, interrupting him.

"You're not?"

"No, I'm not. I actually called you here because there is something I discovered about your mate."

"We all did…she is Klaus's sister. I know," Damon said with a tone filled with hatred. He despised her connection to Klaus.

"No. Not that. Something...that I'm sure even the girl doesn't know," Alaric paused, thinking of the best way to put it.

"How do I say this? I think we found out why Niklaus had been silent for so long," he added.

This was unbelievable. He couldn't believe it. Klaus had struck him with his best shot. In his mind, he couldn't help but praise his enemy's scheming mind. Of course, no witch would ever help him. So Klaus would look for a loophole.

According to Ric, Elena belonged to the Petrova clan. Magical blood runs through her veins. She was turned five years ago (by what Ric assumed) on Klaus's order on the same year when a great comet orbited the sun for the seven hundredth time.

It was the year, when witches could harness maximum power. Ric listed all the requirements of the spell and how once Elena fulfilled them all, she was able to procreate. If all Ric's assumptions were correct then there was a chance Elena might be pregnant.

The very idea seemed surreal. He had been living 175 years knowing that he could never have a proper family. To know that there was a chance his mate might be pregnant, that there was a chance that he could be a father…once again, the idea just seemed so surreal.

But Ric had said so. So, it had to be the truth. Ric's assumptions were always accurate. He was the oldest of them all, therefore the wisest of them all.

This newfound information put him in a difficult situation. Ric said that Elena's…and his offspring would be very powerful. Their power could be a gift to their clan or it can turn out to be an abomination too. So, they had to be careful. They would have to make sure the Council or Klaus didn't get a whiff about Elena's possible pregnancy.

He smirked humorlessly as he looked down. Things could not get any worse. They weren't even sure that Elena was pregnant and he was already worried that Klaus or the Council might rip away his newfound happiness.

He sighed in slight relief. This news had brought some life to his dead heart. His mate was safe for now. His clan wouldn't demand him to kill her. She was under Alaric's protection. No one could question his decisions, not even Stefan.

But this protection wasn't everlasting. If the legend turned out to be false…he knew what Ric would want him to do. He flinched at the thought. Witches and some vampires in the clan had immediately demanded his mate to be killed but Ric explained the situation to them. They weren't happy with the newfound information but they agreed because of Ric.

Yes, he was wrecked that Elena hid her true identity from him. She was a traitor and he hadn't forgotten that. He despised her for lying. He was disgusted by the fact that she was his enemy's sister and the fact that Mikaelson blood ran through her veins. Nothing had changed. He still felt betrayed and destroyed.

But that didn't mean he didn't still love her. She was his mate. The love of his eternal life. Despite everything, he loved her madly. If Ric didn't take her under his protection, he would have still found a way to save his doe-eyed vampire. He would have died trying…that was how much he loved her. Even though that would be unfair to his family. He was torn. Completely torn between the love of his life and his family. But things had changed. There was a chance she could be the mother of his child, perhaps even children. Within all the darkness, this was the only thought that brought him slight happiness.

He thought about it again. Did he want to become a father? It's something he had never thought about before. Since there wasn't any possibility. But now when Ric told him that there was a chance. He found himself wishing that the legend Ric was talking about turned out to be true. He wanted that child.

Ric had also told him that Klaus wanted that child too. He would move mountains to get Elena back. And it wasn't just to keep his sister safe. It was because Damon's possible children would hold magic more powerful than a hundred witches combined.

Klaus wanted his and Elena's child for his own world domination plans. Klaus wanted to snatch his possible children and pervert them into something as horrible as him, if not worse. _Over my dead fucking body_ _,_ he thought.

Stefan went through the defense plan again while he was barely listening. He had so much on his mind. Stefan looked at him once or twice irritated by his lack of attention. Damon didn't care though, he unconsciously attuned himself to his mate who was still locked up in basement cellar. His eyes narrowed as he felt her desperation.

Her guard was down. Her thoughts were unprotected. He could hear whispers. Her thoughts. An image formed before his eyes. _The cellar was filled with dangerous darkness. "Help me…Please. I didn't do anything. I didn't betray anyone. I'm sorry. Damon! Nick!" she whispered_ _feverishly, her hands clawing the wall in fear, her nails full of ashes._

The image changed. It was like he could see her worst fears. These were her thoughts that he could see. These were her innermost fears. _Elena was getting dragged by female guards. A_ _muzzle_ _type of material was locking her mouth. The lock pressed her elongated fangs into her lower lip, dripping with blood. He could see himself standing across her. His eyes were cold and merciless. The guards that were holding her, threw her at his feet. He fisted his hand in her hair and yanked her up, staring coldly at her. "Didn't your brother tell you about our little pets?" he snarled at her. She shook her head furiously, pleading_ _with_ _her eyes to let her go. "I hope the wolves enjoy their new chew toy," he added. She thrashed in his arms and cried fear-filled tears while she hung limply from metal cuffs. Her quiet whimpers turned to a shrill squeal when she caught sight of the bloodthirsty wolves._

He was brought back to reality when Stefan shook him. "Damon…are you okay? You don't look too good..." he said as he eyed him warily.

He looked at his brother wide-eyed. The images that he just saw...felt too real. He couldn't breathe properly, he felt as if a great weight was pressing on his chest. Did she truly see him like that? Did she truly think he was that cold? That he would throw her to the wolves? Did she really think he was so cruel that he would kill the love of his life?

He could hear hushed whispers, her tortured thoughts, her suicidal thoughts, her desperate pleas. He could feel her agony, her distrust, her anxiety.

He tried to close himself off from her. He tried to shut her out but the effort was in vain. Her pain was too great. Ignoring his brother, he walked to the counter to make himself a drink. _I'm sorry_ _,_ she was chanting over and over as if it was a mantra.

"Get out of my head," he said as he poured the contents of his glass down his throat. An image formed again, making him flinch.

 _Her lifeless body la_ _y_ _on the ground, life was_ _fading_ _from her eyes. Flames were surrounding her._

He pushed the horrible image away. He threw the glass, smashing it against the wall into crystal shards. "I said I get out of my head!" he shouted.

"What's wrong with him?" Stefan asked, appalled by his behavior.

"Damon! Calm down…it's not real. These are just her fears," Alaric soothed as he walked toward his unhinged friend.

"What?" Stefan asked completely puzzled. He had no personal experience of the mating bond. He didn't know how these things worked.

"Elena must have woken up. She is frightened. Damon can see and hear her innermost fears. Since their connection is stronger, it seems—"

"Too real," Damon completed as he fell back into a chair, trying to keep himself calm but his mate was making it very difficult. His mate was completely terrified. She was imagining him sentencing her to death in the worst way possible. His inner primal instinct to save his mate was taking over all his senses. His demon wanted his mate. His demon didn't tolerate any nonsense when it came to his mate.

"I can't take this anymore…" he finally submitted. "I have to see her now," he added as he got up and sprinted to the cellar.

The door of the dark room creaked open. Her stony eyes opened to meet his. He was standing at the entrance, hesitant.

"Damon..." she croaked. Her throat felt dry as a desert.

She knew he would come. She knew he wouldn't resist. She believed in their love. She knew he cared. A heavy metal cold handcuff adorning her left wrist was tied to the bedpost while the other loop of the cuff clanged against the hook on the other side.

The bed shifted as he sat next to her. She didn't say anything. His hands shot up to the hooks as he yanked the cuffs off. He could hear the guards murmur, "Favoring his mate." He didn't care though. He had injected vervain into her himself a few hours ago to knock her out, didn't he? She was already weak. She couldn't run away even if she tried.

"Ouch" she murmured as he broke the cuffs, freeing her wrists. She was fragile and weak. She hadn't fed all day. He knew this for sure. He looked back to see if anyone was looking. "Wait," he commanded as he flashed to the door and shut it. He zoomed in front of her and tore his wrist open with his fangs. "Drink," he whispered as he attached his wrist to her mouth.

She looked at him through her wet lashes before her teeth sunk into his skin. He held her close in his arms, caressing her hair softly. With one finger he swept back a loose curl and tucked it softly behind her ear. He held her gently, only by fingertips. Peace and calm coursed through her entire being. Her desperation, her suicidal thoughts, and her agony started fading. A light smiled played on his lips as he realized he was the reason she was calm. He bit his lip and recomposed his face again. Back to being the cold, stony, and cruel Ripper chief.

He pulled away his wrist once he knew she had enough to heal herself completely. A part of him felt guilty for helping her. She was his enemy. He wasn't supposed to help her. Her only intention to come here was to wipe off his family from the face of the Earth. She played him. She betrayed him. _To her,_ _I_ _was just a toy_ _,_ thought.

Then again, there was the possibility she could be pregnant with his child. She needed to be healthy. And for that she needed his blood. He justified his reasons as he thought of them. Even though he knew this was only self-deception. The real reason he fed her his blood was because he couldn't bear to see her restless and in pain.

He tried to detect any faint heartbeat other than Elena's. He was disappointed when he didn't hear anything. He didn't panic though. Alaric said only magic could detect the baby since it was magical itself. They would have to wait for Bonnie to wake up and check his mate. They had other witches and spell casters too but Alaric said that they could only trust Bonnie. And he agreed. He only trusted his best friend with his mate.

She lay back against the headboard tired but holding his hand. He yanked his hand away with disdain. Yes, he helped her but it didn't mean he forgave her.

"You're regretting giving me your blood," she finally spoke.

He didn't reply.

"I'm sorry," she said, almost pleading. "Can you ever forgive me?" she added.

He didn't reply, looking away. _The nerve of her_ _,_ he thought.

"Damon! How many times do I have to apologize?" she said, her tone seeping with desperation and hopelessness.

When he didn't reply this time, she huffed in annoyance. "If we aren't talking then why are you here?"

He swallowed thick. _Because, I can't stay away from you._

"Just to clarify something," he said.

"What?"

"I'm not going to kill you or harm you in anyway…you're safe. So…stop…stop feeling whatever you're feeling" He bit his tongue. It made a lot more sense in his mind. Now he just sounded stupid.

He was about to leave when he heard her talk. "So, you're here to help yourself. My thoughts, my feelings, my fears are torturing you."

"Yes, you're driving me insane. Stop it!" he said as he whirled around in annoyance.

"I lived with these fears for three and half months..." she revealed, looking down.

He glared at her. She looked up at him weakly. Her barrier was down again. He could access her mind. And so he did.

 _"You can make this right. I will forget everything. We will start fresh. All you need to do is forget him." Klaus said to_ _Damon's_ _mate._

 _"Ni…Nick…I_ _would_ _do anything for you_ _..._ _" Elena declared. "Except that…I…I can't do that. I can't forget Damon._ _I…I love him."_

This was one of her memories. Her brother was asking her to forget him to save her life but she chose him. She declared that she was in love with him. Another memory surfaced.

 _"To be honest when you ignore me it is drives me crazy. I want you and I have already told you that you're mine. And I know this is unfair to you seeing as you aren't getting a choice. But it's not my fault. You just somehow pull me toward you. I want you more than I have wanted any woman in my life. And I always get what I want" he heard his own voice from a time back. This memory was from the night when they made love for the first time._

 _"This can't work, Damon" Elena replied, torn. "I want to...but we can't..."_

The connection broke. Their bond was strong but it was still new. Damon felt exhausted. She was trying to show him that she wasn't at fault. She was trying to win his trust back.

He sighed and walked back to her and sat next to her. Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks. He cupped her face in his hands, making her look up at him. "You are shaking. What is there to frighten you? I told you, you're safe." he said with confusion.

"I'm not afraid of death, Damon. It's the thought of losing you that frightens me," she said, her voice shaking.

She looked up. His cold resolve was breaking. "Why didn't you tell me before? This could've been completely different." he said.

Something about this moment reminded her about their first meeting. It reminded her of the first time when he cupped her face, just like that, and asked her questions.

"I would've been mad... furious... but I would've taken you away from here. Away from all this havoc," He stopped, pressing his lips together. "If only you told me the truth."

"You want to know the truth. Fine. I lied. But I told you that I didn't have a choice!" she said, her dark brown orbs pleading with him to understand her reasons.

"At first, I was just…trying to save my ass but then your persistence worked. You got under my skin and no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't seem to shake you off. I didn't stay with you to spy on you. I had no other intention. I only stayed because I love you," she stopped, sniffing.

"If you didn't have any other intentions then why did you burn down the forest?" he demanded. He wanted to believe her but the evidence pointed otherwise.

She was about to speak when the door burst open. Stefan stared at them in shock and disgust. This girl played them all and his brother still couldn't stay away from her. If it wasn't for Alaric he would have staked the bitch himself.

"The Lords from the Council are here. They demanded to see you." he said looking at Damon.

Damon narrowed his eyes, as if inquiring for more information.

"They are here for her," he said looking at the girl behind him with utmost disgust.

* * *

 _Edited by : hey. bitch. this. Karma. Thank you for your awesome!_

 _If you're re-reader, please review._

 _Also for new readers, I hope you're enjoying this! Please review. It might inspire me to write more!_

 _Love_

 _May_


	21. Our love is running out of time

**Chapter 20**

* * *

When Enzo reentered the room with wet towels to tend his mate. He found her sitting in between a circle of candles, meditating. Probably harnessing power from the moon. Her skin glowed under the dim candle light. At this moment, she looked like an angel.

"It's rude to stare" she said, her eyes still closed.

"You don't have to do this today. You're already very weak" Enzo said, sitting on chair.

Her eyes snapped open. "I can fry your brains out with a simple glare. I'm stronger than all you vampires combined. Don't ever call me weak again" she said, playfully.

He let out a chuckle, as he got up. "I beg your pardon, Madam. At times I forget that my mate isn't just any girl. She is the second in command chief of Rippers and Bennett clan. The strongest of Bennett witches" he said, proudly. He got up and walked towards her, offering her his hand. She accepted and let him guide her out of the circle.

"How do you feel?" he asked, concerned.

"Fit as horse" she replied, beaming.

He directed her to the bed and circled his arms around his mate. "You nearly scared me down there. I know you're brave and very powerful but they are Originals. There is a reason why witches couldn't ever get rid of them. There is a reason they are still alive and tormenting every soul alive…"

"I know that you're upset but I thought I could do it. And I wasn't planning on casting the sleep spell on all. I was just buying us time"

"Don't do that again. My clan means the life to me but I refuse to lose you for them"

"You won't" she promised, locking her arms around him. There was something about him that brought her peace. He was her peace. She relished the feel of him. Her eyes closed in content as he took her in his warm embrace.

She didn't know if she could keep her promise to her mate though. Death in form of Klaus was lurking around them. She was her clan's strong point and she was aware of that. It was her responsibility to keep her clan safe. And if that meant her death so be it. She concealed her thoughts from her mate though.

"Speaking of Originals…Is the girl…?" she trailed off.

"Yes, she is alive" Enzo said, somewhat upset. In his mind, anything that threatened his family should be eliminated. So what if she was Damon's mate. She had tricked him too. She was an original spy. They should kill her this instant. He didn't why Rick was prolonging the process by taking Elena under his protection.

"Oh Thank the Lord"

"Are you crazy? She is an Original" Enzo snapped at his mate.

"I gotta meet her" Bonnie said getting up.

"No fucking way. I won't even allow you to be in the same room as her."

"She is five year old vampire. She is harmless" Bonnie said, pushing him away. Sometimes, his over protectiveness really annoyed her.

"I have been hearing this ever since our idiot of a chief let her live on the night she crossed the borders." He hissed angrily. "No! Bonnie! She isn't harmless. If you haven't noticed the girl fooled us for months and tricked Damon into mating bond with her. She is even more cunning than Katherine the ultimate bitch. She burned down the white oak forest and then lied to us when Stefan pointed her out. She is most certainly not harmless at all." Enzo mocked.

"and the fact that she is Klaus fucking Michelson's sister makes her even worse" he huffed.

"Enzo…Darling calm down" Bonnie said, rubbing his arm.

"She screwed us Bon. We are all going to die. We don't have enough stakes and…I can't lose you. I can't bear even the thought…" she cut him off with a kiss. She knew that would calm him down. She felt him smile. His fingers ran through her hair, moaning in content at her touch. A knock on the door interrupted their moment of bliss.

"Mr. Saltzman and the Chief of Rippers have asked for Miss Bennett" the vampire said, mechanically from outside.

"We will be there" Bonnie replied before Enzo could snap at him.

* * *

As soon as Elena heard about Vampire Council she clutched his shirt and turned pale with fear. The fear for her life. The fear from being snatched from him. The fear of losing her loved ones. The guilt of causing all the problems. Damon felt all sorts of Elena's emotions through their mating connection. He wondered for a moment how this girl managed to breath with so many fears coursing through her weak body.

"Take her back to my room" he had ordered his guards.

"Don't worry. I won't let them take you" he promised her and she agreed.

After ordering some guards outside his bedroom to guard his mate and also make sure she doesn't attempt to escape,he summoned his witch and his best friend and made his way to the great hall where official meetings were held.

So, Klaus Michelson had played his first card. And that was to send the council to retrieve his sister. He couldn't be bothered to take her himself. Damon thought. So much for sibling love.

He entered the room with an air of confidence, with his witch and his best friend following him. Focus. He reminded himself when he heard Elena's whispers in his mind. Her panicked state was breaking the shield that usually encapsulated her mind.

The lords were already seated on the ten person conference table. He made his way to the seat of head of the table. "Gentlemen" he acknowledged them with a nod. "Madam" he added when he noticed the very famous and pompous Lady Pearl.

All the four lords nodded curtly while the lady didn't he even bother to look at him. Damon frowned when he noticed Lord Hummel in the group. Lord Hummel always favored Klaus over him. He was awfully fond of Originals. Lady Pearl and Lord Harold also were sitting across him, they too like Hummel preferred Originals. His only friend over here from the council was Lord Augustine.

Not that he didn't have other friends in the council. Damon actually had earned very good reputation in the Vampire elite after his series of victories against Originals. They knew he was very strong. His impulsive behavior, his sharp thinking and his unstable anger were quite famous. The council was well aware that Damon Salvatore was a dangerous man when crossed.

However, Klaus had made sure that the council only sends those Lords who would do everything as Klaus's will.

Before he could open his mouth, Lord Hummel spoke, breaking the dangerous silence. "We are extremely sorry for demanding a meeting at your residence at such short notice. I know we are breaking all customs of visiting a fellow vampire's territory but the matter was however very urgent and we couldn't wait till the morning" he spoke formally.

Damon gave a sarcastic smile. "Guess you got the news from your buddy Klaus"

"So it's true" Lady Pearl exclaimed.

"It's true" Alaric answered.

"I told Augustine here that Nicklaus wasn't kidding but he insisted you would rather drink vervain than mate with one of Originals" Lord Hummel said.

Augustine glared at Damon. Clearly he was upset with this newfound information. Maybe, this was the reason Damon refused to go on war against Originals. Because his mate was one of them. He felt betrayed.

"So you did perform the ritual with the Original girl?" Lord Harold asked. "Klaus's sister Elena?"

"I wasn't aware that she was an Original" Damon said looking at Augustine, giving him a subtle message. "But yes, Elena is my mate" he accepted.

"Where is the girl? She is alive, Right?" Lady Pearl asked.

His eyes shot up to the woman. How dare she thinks that he would ever cause harm to his mate? Before he could reply Alaric interrupted. "Of course" he said.

"she is under my protection" he added.

"Why you? Why not her own mate?" she asked, smirking. "Why does the girl needs another man's protection when her mate is breathing? Does her Original tag bothers you Damon?" she said in an amused tone.

Damon didn't reply. Of course, it bothered him that his mate was an Original. He was disgusted by the very fact that she was connected to a person who had abused all his clan and him. She had lied to him throughout the course of their relationship. Everyone he cared or loved were in danger because of her.

"I'm not ready to accept that the Ripper chief couldn't recognize the black sheep. Be honest, Damon! Is this the repeat of Rebekah again? Like your brother did last time?" Lord Hummel said.

"I said I didn't know she was an original" he said through his teeth.

"Fine! We will believe you but Klaus won't" Lord Harold interfered. "Hummel said Klaus believes you trapped his sister."

"That son of a bitch…He is lying. This is all his doing. He sent his sister here to trap my brother." Stefan hissed. "It won't be the first time. You all know about his minion Katherine" he added.

"He insists that you broke the treaty by forcing the ritual on his sister." Lord Harold continued ignoring Stefan.

"I didn't force her into the blood bond with me. I gave her an out. If you must know she was the one who offered her blood to me first" he snarled.

"This bond is still against the treaty." Lady Pearl reminded him. "By performing the ritual, you two broke the treaty" she pointed out.

"You think I don't know that" Damon said getting up.

"According to the treaty the old ones will now side with Originals against you." Lord Hummel said.

"Is that a threat?" Damon said, glaring at him. Bonnie immediately stood aside their chief. One signal and she will grill the man's brain until he is begging for forgiveness.

"No, Damon. Merely a reminder" he said, alarmed.

"Wait a second! Klaus's wife and the Original girl crossed the boundary first. So technically it's Originals who broke the treaty first" Stefan pointed out.

Hummel shifted on his seat slightly. He was hoping this point wouldn't come up. He had deliberately taken all his friends who were as sympathetic towards Klaus as he was.

"Listen, Stefan. The council doesn't want a war. We insist the treaty stay intact." Lord Harold said.

"Exactly, besides there is nothing in wars other than loss of precious lives" Lady Pearl added.

"I don't think Klaus would agree to keep the treaty intact" Lord Augustine interrupted them. He could see all the Lords here were in favor of Klaus.

"Yes, he will be difficult but I will convince him after we give him what he wants" Hummel said, hesitantly. Now this was the difficult part.

"What? What does that fucking mix breed Original wants?" Damon said, warily. Somehow he knew the answer before the words escaped Hummel's mouth.

"Elena" Hummel said. "He demands you return his sister to him by this time tomorrow or he will launch a war" he added.

"No" Damon flat out refused. "Tell him he can forget about her. She is mine now." He added. The very suggestion was out of question. He reasoned within his mind that he wasn't allowing her to go because she knew too much and not because they very thought of being separated from his mate brought him physical pain.

"Damon! You're not thinking logically. We are your well-wishers. Returning Elena is your only way out of this mess."

"What nonsense?" Enzo interrupted even though he knew it wasn't his place to speak. "The girl knows all our secrets. There is no way we would ever return her to Originals " he added.

"You have a witch. Have her modify the girl's memories." Pearl suggested.

"As Damon's mate, Elena is one of us now. We are not returning her Pearl and that's final" Alaric said in a firm tone.

"Rick! My friend! Giving the girl is your only way out of the war. Klaus will move heaven and earth to get his sister back. And we all know what Klaus wants… he gets"

"Funny, that's exactly how I function!" Damon said, gesturing the human maid to serve him.

"There is a slight line between confidence and over confidence. You have been around only two centuries Damon. You don't know what Michelsons are capable of when you attack one of them. If you know what's good for you, you'll give us the girl so we can take her back to her family. You don't want to cross that man" Pearl said nonchalantly.

"Did Klaus tell you to tell me this? Because in that case I want to give him a message too. Tell him that I may have been around two centuries but I know all his weaknesses. Three times, I have been this close to killing him off permanently." He raged as held his index finger and thumb slightly apart.

"I know all about his schemes. Even the latest ones." He added. " Remind him that I am more powerful than him. I have the witches, the werewolves and fully trained army of vampires that had been taught exactly how to aim a stake made of white oak trees. I am fully ready if he plans to attack. If he wants war, I'll give him war. It's about time we wipe off trash like them for the surface of earth anyway" he added venomously.

"You said schemes? What schemes?" Lord Hummel asked, curious.

"Ask your friend! He will tell you better" Stefan hissed.

"And as for Elena, the best Klaus can do is wish his sister a happy and safe life from a distance because that is as much as he can get. He should have thought about her before he sent her here. I'm going to personally make sure he never sees her ever again." He finished.

" Are we to understand that you won't be giving the girl to us?" Hummel asked in a cold tone.

"No. She chose me over him. This is her decision as much as it's mine. Giving my mate up to the council or that fucking Original is out of question" Damon answered.

"So, you're in no mood to cooperate with us and avoid the war?" Harold asked.

"I'll cooperate on my terms only" Damon said taking a sip from his drink.

"Okay then you leave us no choice but to take action against you and your clan for breaking the rules and treaty" Pearl said, getting up.

"This is fucked up. Elena is the one who broke the rules. Why is the council teaming up against us?" Stefan protested.

"Stefan" Damon groaned. That's what they all wanted to hear. They were baiting them and Stefan got caught.

"Ahh…yes. You say that the girl is at fault. Klaus says Damon trapped the girl. This is all very confusing. We would need the girl's statement on this." Lord Hummel said.

"We will need to take Klaus's sister in custody." Lard Harold decided. "We will have to take her to Arran town"

"In no fucking way am I allowing you to take my mate" Damon hissed at him.

"Relax" Alaric ordered the seething vampire.

"Look! Damon, we are only doing what we think is the best to avoid the war. We don't mean any harm to the girl. We just want to take her statement. What is her role in all this fiasco?" Pearl squeaked.

"Well then take her statement here. I will not allow you to take her to Arran." Damon said shaking his head.

"We can't. The Council will hold a hearing. We want to take an official statement. You will need to present her in front of all the Lords and Ladies of the council. Her statement will decide who is at fault. The old ones will all side in the war against whoever is at fault, like the Original- Ripper treaty stated." Lord Hummel said. "Of course, that all could be avoided if you hand the girl back to her family" he added.

He was tired and confused. By the looks of them, it seemed like they were set on taking Elena back to her family one way or another. He couldn't allow that to happen. And not just because he knew if he let her go this once, Klaus will somehow get his hands on her and take her away from him forever but also because she knew too much.

She knew the cure to werewolf bite was Bennett's witch blood. She knew they had limited amount of white oak stakes. She knew all the secret pathways to their practice ground.

"So, What's it going to be Chief of Rippers? Are you going to let the girl go or will we have to take this to the council?" Lord Hummel asked, smugly.

"The hearing" Alaric suggested.

"Rick" Damon was about to protest but Alaric signaled him to stay quiet. "We will take this to Council" he declared.

Hummel looked slightly taken aback. He was hoping they would take the easy way out. If Klaus's statement turned out to be wrong and Elena had indeed broke the treaty first then the old ones will automatically side with Rippers in case of war. He was hoping he and his friends would intimidate the Rippers into giving up Elena.

"Fine! We will need to take the girl in our custody though" Hummel said getting up, finally deciding to leave.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Hummel. My mate will not step foot out of this house without me. I will bring her myself." Damon said crossing his hands on his chest.

Hummel wanted to protest but he saw no point in arguing. The chief of Ripper looked furious already. There was no point in pushing the already unstable man. He nodded, curtly. "Fine! As you wish. We will take leave now." He paused.

"We will inform you of the time of meeting in a couple of hours." He said as he motioned his friends to follow him.

"Stefan" Alaric said, gesturing Stefan to follow the Lords and make sure they leave the Manor.

Stefan nodded, obediently and followed them.

"What now?" Enzo said taking a seat. "what if the girl gives the statement in her family's favor?" he added.

"She can't" Alaric replied.

"The old ones have witches that cast a spell on the vampires disabling them to lie. Elena indeed broke the treaty first. She can't lie" he said, getting up.

"But that's not my concern. Bonnie! I want you to examine Elena." Alaric said moving toward a bookshelf.

"Did you tell Damon?" she asked as she got up.

"I know" Damon answered, looking at his drink.

"This is ridiculous. Elena is a Petrova. What kind of crap is this? Alaric. I don't know why is the girl still alive. She knows everything about us. Every secret, every strategy. If we want to keep our lives the girl needs to die" Enzo hissed.

"Bonnie, please tell your mate to shut up if he knows what's good for him. There is a limit to my patience." Damon said in a dead calm tone when he was further from that.

Throughout the meeting with Lords and Lady Pearl, Elena thoughts had been agonizing him. Memories after memories were running through her mind like a movie.

 _"Just accept it"_

 _"Yes…Okay…Fine! Yes, I do feel something but I am really sorry…I can't. We can't" she said yanking her wrists away but not harshly. "You're an amazing person . You make me feel alive and you deserve all the happiness in the world but we…we can't happen. This is just not meant to be. I am sorry"_

"Damon!" Bonnie said pulling him out of his trance.

"Huh"

"I said I don't think have enough energy in me. Will you allow my father to examine her instead?" she asked.

 _His head was lying in her lap as she cried. "Damon! I'm here. I'm here" she whispered to him as she brushed his hair out of his eyes. The wolf bite had scarred his face. He remembered when this memory was from. It was the night he had jumped in front of the wolf to save her. He was injured and she had gotten him back to his Manor. She had stayed with him that night. It was the night they had made love for the first time._

"Damon!" Bonnie's voice brought him back to reality.

"Yes, Sure" he said sitting on the chair. "I allow your father to examine her" he permitted taking a sip. Getting back to his thoughts. He remembered following the doe eyed vampire around. He remembered how she constantly rejected him. At that time he used to be so confused. One minute she used to open up to him and the next minute she would be asking him to leave her alone. One minute she would be making out with him and the next minute she would be breaking up but not before leading him on. It was torturous. It was tormenting. But he knew why she did that. Unfortunately that didn't make him feel better. It only made him feel worse about himself.

"You don't look so good" Bonnie's voice brought him out his thoughts again.

"Huh"

"You look like as if you have insects crawling under your skin and any moment now you're gonna break" she said, concerned.

"Elena's afraid. Her emotions are on over drive and they are driving me insane" he admitted. Bonnie nodded understandingly. "Did you talk to her?" she asked.

He bit his lip and nodded, looking down.

"What does she say? Why did she do this?"

"She keeps saying that this is all a misunderstanding. Klaus hasn't sent her. She is here on her own accord because she loves me." He said with a scoff at the end.

"Do you believe her?" Bonnie asked.

Damon shook his head. "No. No, I don't. She had done nothing but lie to me ever since we met. She had a motive from the start. To her, this town was more important than me. Although she says she have no interest in the town. The first time she came here was because her friend, Klaus's mate had accidently crossed the border. But why should I believe her? She didn't trust me enough to share her true identity. Why should I give her chance to explain?" he said, clutching the glass of wine tighter.

"I offered her never ending love, I gave her the devotion of a life ,my love, my name, all I have and look what she did to me in return" he added, disgusted.

"Damon, I know that you're hurt and trust me I'm furious at the girl too. But I think Elena isn't lying. I remember her the day she came here first. She was in rush to go back. If Klaus's mate haven't slipped I would have never known they were vampires. Maybe, Elena is right. Maybe, this is all a misunderstanding"

"Bonnie, you make it seem like the girl is innocent and we are at fault. Need I remind you that she tricked Damon into mating bond with her?" Enzo pointed out.

"She didn't trick Damon." Bonnie argued. "It was Damon who kept following her around and wouldn't leave her alone." She added looking at Damon. At that comment, Damon looked away. Of course, he remembered.

"If she is as innocent as you think than why did she burn down the white oak forest?" Enzo asked.

That is exactly what stopped Damon from her believing his mate. If she loved him like she claimed she did then why did she betray him like that? Why would she harm his family if she had no intention of taking over his town then why did she conspire against him.

Bonnie opened her mouth to reply, but she couldn't figure out what to say. She had no explanation for that.

"Mr. Rudy Bennett is here" The human girl announced.

A dark skinned man entered with bunch of witches following him. Bonnie stood up in respect and walked toward her father. After formal greetings. Mr. Bennett jumped on the topic.

"Is it true? Is the Original girl really a Petrova?" he asked, curiously.

"I have already told you about all the requirements of the spell. The girl seems to fill each one of it. I am most certain that she is a Petrova. Or Why else would Klaus Michelson send almost all his allies to get her back?" Alaric explained.

"We will all examine her. Where is the girl?" Mr. Bennett asked.

"She is upstairs in my room. You'll examine her there" Damon said, breaking his silence. "but I need to talk to her first."

* * *

Elena lay back in the bed. Their bed. His bed. Even the room seemed different and cold now. She didn't know if she was crying from anger or sadness. Her whole body seemed to be weeping as she rocked back and forth. She curled her arms around her legs as she pulled them closer to her chest.

She didn't feel too well. She figured it was because of the crazy things that kept happening one after another. She felt nauseous and it was almost like she had a headache. She felt more weak than usual.

The council was downstairs deciding her fate. Will her mate let her go with them? She wouldn't blame Damon if he threw her out of town and forbid her never to come back. She had risked his family. She deserved his hate.

He was right. She had lied to him. Over and over again. But did she have a choice. The circumstances had been crazy from the start. She had never meant to hurt Damon. She loved him insanely. And who would ever want to hurt someone they loved.

She heard footsteps approaching the door. She trembled in fear. Was it the council? Were they here to take her? Did her mate give her up? Will they kill her for her crime? The treaty clearly stated whoever crossed the boundary first will die with the agreement of both the clans. She didn't want to die.

Being scared, she buried her head into her knees and squeezed her arms tighter around her knees. She lowered her head as far between her legs as she could.

"Elena?" she heard her mate call her from a distance.

Elena raised her head from her legs and looked in direction of the voice. Her mate stood there in all his glory. He wasn't her Damon. His dark eyes once gleaming with love, true passionate love were now empty, cold and almost dead. It scared her.

"Please don't let them take me" she begged.

"Who?"

"The council…" she said, trembling slightly.

"They are gone" he said looking away. He wanted to comfort her. But he held back and stared at her uncertainly.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips. But she was still stiff. She looked up at him, her mind working on all sorts of explanation. It was as if he could read her mind. "Not now" he said.

"Damon…please"

"Elena I said not now" he said as he walked over to the closet and took out her night robe. "Here" he said, throwing it to her. "The Witches will be here to examine you shortly" he informed.

"What? Why?"

"I will explain later. Now don't ask me more questions!" he warned her.

"You're going to use them and torture me right? You don't have to do that I'll…" she trailed off when he hissed.

"What is wrong with you? I would never do that. Do you really think that low of me?" he asked, bewildered by her sudden conclusion.

She was looking down at her hands as if too ashamed to look him in the face. It was a weird situation. They loved each other too much but they didn't trust each other. The animosity and the hatred between their families had created a lot of distance between them within a matter of twenty four hours. Both the lovers were reluctant to take a blind leap. He sat near the foot of their bed, tired.

"I didn't mean to…" she choked.

"Look Elena, I know that we are not a good place right now. I'll be honest I don't trust you at all. Part of me despises you." He said not looking at her. "but you're my mate and the love of my life. I wouldn't dream of hurting you or allowing anyone to do that. You're safe with me" he promised.

She rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands and through a glittering film of tears, looked at him. "I am really sorry" she choked.

"I know that what I did was very wrong. But like, I said I never had a choice. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I don't deserve it. I am just asking you to understand. I was afraid. Terrified of the situation. When I first met you, I never thought that the day would come when I would fall for the Ripper chief. It was supposed to be one lie. I promise you I had no other intention" Profoundly aware that she had lost the man who trusted her and loved her like no other did, she whispered between sobs.

She gave him an agonized glance, quickly looking away in despair, when she saw his icy blue empty furious eyes staring back at her, unaffected by her apologies. Her chest began to heave with anguish, and then wrenching sobs racked her body, her devastatingly beautiful brown eyes turning red as the salty tears streamed down her face.

He shook his head and got to his feet again. Too upset, too restless by her tears. He didn't reply.

"Yes, you didn't intend to harm my family but that's exactly what you did and then when Stefan confronted you about it. You lied to my face." He reminded her.

"Damon, I swear to God I didn't…" she said through sobs.

"And can you please stop crying" he added calmly. Her tears racked his heart. He was never good with crying women. Let alone, the love of his life. Her tears made him feel as if a thousand knives twisted inside him.

"I am trying" she said, weakly. Disconsolate, upset and tired, she wiped away her tears that had been streaming down her cheeks nonstop since the morning. She tried to choke back her sobs but failed. She bent her head down on her knees and started crying again.

She heard him hiss impatiently. He went toward her and sat next to her. He lifted her face to him. He saw her shimmering orbs staring back at him pleading for mercy, he noticed the pain on her face and sighed, his anger fading(but hurt of her betrayal remained). "Please…stop crying Elena. It's not good for you" he added, wiping her tears.

She looked at him, confused. Not good for her. Why?

He wiped her tear away with his thumb, tenderly. He tucked a stand behind her hair. "So silky" he thought. He forced his mind not to replay the nights he spent with her in his arms and how her silky hair fanned his pillows and tickled his cheeks.

She calmed down under his touch. Secretly it delighted him how much affect his touch had on her. In a way, it was assurance that her love for him was not a complete lie.

"Alaric has a theory about you" he changed the topic. She arched her brow, demanding more explanation. "He thinks you belong from Petrova clan" he reveled.

"What's that?" Elena asked perplexed.

It took him time to explain who exactly Petrovas were and how their end came. She flinched when he told her that her brother was the one who had burnt that town. He told her about the spell and how she filled all the requirements of the spell.

"You're out of your mind, Damon" she said when he told her there was a chance she could be pregnant.

"I am dead. Dead don't reproduce" she added, as if the very thought was preposterous.

"Rick's assumption are never false. We will find out after the spell casters and witches examine you…" he said getting up.

"A child" Elena murmured as her hands slid to her flat belly.

Nick had always told her that she was very special. Is this the reason why? There was a chance she might be pregnant. She had long given up on that possibility. A shy, beautiful smile graced her lips as she looked down at her flat belly, trying to feel. For a moment, she forgot about everything. She forgot that she was in the middle of a war that was caused by her. She forgot that her mate was wrecked by her deception. She forgot that she had hurt her family.

To be honest, Damon had expected her to freak out. What woman would want a supernatural baby inside her? He had even expected her to be disgusted by the very idea. She was an Original and he was a Ripper. To Originals, Rippers were trash.

"I'm pregnant?" She asked him, hope swelling her heart.

"We…we are not sure. Only witches can tell" he said, taken aback by her joy at the news. He studied her profile with his eyes, confused. If she just planned to use him and if he was only means to power to her like he thought he was then why was she over joyed by the news of her pregnancy. She should be quivering in fear that her brother, the famous and wicked Klaus Michelson would kill her for getting pregnant by a Ripper. Then again the girl didn't even knew about her connection to Petrova clan. And if she was such an important tool to Klaus, why did he risk it and send her? He was confused to the core now.

She caressed her flat belly, the most beautiful smile adorning her lips. There was something about the curve of her lips that in the spur of the moment made him want to kiss her. It reminded him off their first date. When all the night, he wanted to reach out and kiss her senseless but had forced himself to behave. Today, she was on his bed, she was his mate but he couldn't touch her. She was an Original. He reminded himself.

Knock. Knock.

"It's them" he said as he got up and flashed to the door. He opened it. The group of witches and spell casters entered along with Alaric and Bonnie.

Elena knuckles fisted in the bed sheets. Something about the witches intimidate her. She had never once heard a good thing about them from her brother. Brother…that reminded her of Nick. Oh how she wanted to share this news with her siblings. She knew they would be delighted. Maybe, this was the answer to all the Ripper-Original feud. Her child would be a blessing.

Her mate took his place next to her, providing her security with his presence. The witches gathered around her chanting spells. One of the spell caster, Elena recognized as Bonnie's father stepped closer.

Suddenly Elena felt darkness prevailing her eyes. "What's happening?" she murmured. "What?" Damon said, alarmed.

"I…I can't see" she said, panicked.

"What are you doing to my mate?" Damon demanded.

"Stay back, Damon" Bonnie warned him. "This is just how the spell works. We don't mean any harm" she said, alarmed that his primal instinct of saving his mate could activate.

She looked a bit distressed but not too bad, as she lay on the bed. Then suddenly she squirmed and groaned. Her poor legs stretched with the pain. Her face scrunched up as if she was under inhumane torture. "Stop it! Stop it! You're hurting me." She cried.

Damon looked at her, clearly panicked. Bonnie reassured him that it was just the procedure. He held Elena's hand to assure her he was there. "I'm here. You're safe" he whispered in her ear over and over again.

A cry escaped her lips as if someone was stabbing her. "Make them stop" she pleaded, clutching his hand like a life line.

"Bonnie! Tell your father to stop" Damon said immediately, unable to hold back his demon instincts.

"Just a few more minutes" Bonnie requested.

"Bonnie, I said stop" Damon ordered when Elena's whimpers turned into pleading cries for help.

Rudy Bennett stopped chanting but his witches continued. With a serious look on his face, he walked over to Damon's mate. He took out a slitter and cut her wrist. Elena howled in pain. That's when Damon's primal instinct clouded his mind. "Have you lost your mind?" he snarled. Why were they hurting her when she was already in so much pain.

He vamped out, flashing in front of the warlock. He snarled at him, warning him away from his mate. Flashing his fangs he stepped toward the warlock, ready to punish him when he felt as if his head was set on fire. He dropped on his knees cursing in pain.

"Sorry…I had to do that" Bonnie murmured when he was back in his senses.

He nodded looking back at his mate, who now laid on bed, passed out. "What happened to her?" he demanded, worried. What had they done to her? He was paranoid now.

"Nothing to worry about. The pain from the spell was too much for her to handle." One of the witches said.

"Her defense was too strong. Alaric is right. The magic within the child would be uncontrollable" Another witch said.

"so…she is…"Damon said, startled. True, he knew that there was a chance his mate was pregnant but they weren't confirmed yet.

"Look at her hand Damon. Your mate isn't healing" Rudy said, pointing at Elena's bloody wrist.

He bent down on his knees, holding her injured hand. Utterly surprised. "Why?"

"Because she is a mortal now. Her body would need to change as the pregnancy progresses. The spell will allow that but in return it will make her mortal." One of the witches explained.

"Like any mortal, she will be delicate now. Prune to injury. Prune to death. So be very careful with her" she added.

"So she isn't a vampire anymore"

"Oh yes she is. The spell has however snatched her immortality. As long as the child is inside her the girl is mortal. She will need blood to survive though. That too from a willing source. The spell requires for her to remain pure…as in a pure soul." Rudy explained.

"A pure soul means…" he wanted further explain but Damon cut him off. "I know what a pure soul means. No killing anyone. No forcing someone to give blood…spare me the details" he said. "Can anyone get me a first aid kit?" he said, looking at his mate's gushing wound.

"Right away chief" A guard said and flashed away.

"So…my mate is…my mate is pregnant with my child" he said looking at Bonnie, his eyes hopeful.

She nodded, smiling. He stared at his sleeping mate. A few hours ago, when Rick told him about the possibility. He was pleasantly surprised but at that time his feelings to the child were different than now. At that time, he was confused.

Yes, he wanted the child since it was his only chance at fatherhood. He had lived 170 years with the possibility that there was no chance for him and the news had also brought him relief momentarily that Elena's life would be spared but now he was ecstatic. This was a miracle. His personal miracle. He already loved him or her more than anything in the world. He had a new goal now; to love and protect his child. He knew with every cell in his body that if anything happened to his mate and his child he wouldn't be able to survive it. He was consumed by an instinct so primal, so complete, that he knew he will do anything to keep them, his child and his mate, safe. He would destroy anyone or anything that would try to harm them.

True, his mate's treachery was a thorn in happiness she brought him but he would live with it. His hand slipped to her flat stomach, caressing it. "Why can't I hear the heartbeat?"

"The magic of the child is concealing it but we will bring down its shield…"

"No!" Rick interfered. "We are going to present her in the hearing tomorrow. The council and Originals should not know about this"

At that thought, Damon's fist clenched. The trouble was still out there. But this time, along with his family and clan. His child was in danger too. Not only was he a ripper chief now. He was going to be a father soon.

In that moment, he swore he wouldn't let anyone harm his mate or his child. He was dead set on destroying anyone who would even look at his family the wrong way.

Everything led back to Originals. They were the real threat. They wanted to harm his clan. They wanted to snatch his mate. They wanted to take away his child. "Over my dead pile of ash" he thought.

"Chief" The guard who had gone to find a first aid kit entered the room and flashed toward him. He handed him the kit. Damon opened the box and momentarily wondered how the guy found a first aid kit in a house full of vampires. But then again Bonnie was a human. She kept all kind of human stuff.

He cleaned the gash with the cotton dipped in antiseptic, silently. He cleaned her wound, covered it with an antibiotic cream, and wrapped a bandage tightly around her wrist. The fragrance of her blood blinded him but he pushed back his demonic face. She was with a child now. He couldn't drink from her. That would weaken his mortal weak mate.

"Damon…the memo arrived. We will have to present Elena at sharp twelve in the afternoon" Enzo said entering the room.

He nodded, acknowledging that he heard his friend.

"So…Is she?" Enzo asked Bonnie.

"Yes"

"Wow" Enzo said clearly amazed by the fact. "That changes things" he added. If the girl was Petrova than she would indeed be useful to them. He thought.

Damon smiled, looking at his mate. He stroked her face with the back of his hand. It still hurt him that she had lied to him all along and had conspired against him. But she was also giving him a priceless gift, something he thought he could never have. The thought of becoming a father thrilled him with pride and childish joy even though at the back of his mind it scared him too. But he brushed those thoughts away. His main concern was dealing with Originals who were hell bent on harming his clan.

He was the chief of Rippers. He reminded himself. He wasn't afraid of repercussions to come. He took his job as chief very seriously and protected his friends without fail before and would protect them now too no matter what the circumstances. They were his charge, and he wouldn't let anything or anyone harm them. If Klaus wanted war he would get war. It was about to time somebody killed them all for good.

* * *

Elena sighed as she Damon guided her through the dark halls of the Vampire Council's building. They were surrounded with Ripper vampires and a couple of witches.

A few female vampire guards have woken up around ten and had asked her to get ready for the hearing. At first, she was frightened but then Bonnie came and comforted her. In between everyone, Bonnie was the only one whose attitude didn't change with her after her reality revealed.

She had ordered the human maid to get her ready while she waited outside. Like a doll, they had dressed her in finest and made her hair after cleaning her up. She was then ushered downstairs where her mate was waiting for her along with his brother and his friends.

With the click of his fingers, everyone left them alone. He walked toward her and kissed her on forehead. His eyes weren't as warm as they used to be but he wasn't heartlessly cold like he was last night.

That's when everything clicked. The intense care, the guards following her around, his slightly changed behavior in the span of hours. "I am pregnant" she didn't ask she stated.

"Yes, we are pregnant" he said, with a soft smile, cupping her face. "You have to be very careful from now on. The spell had made you mortal and I forbid you to tell this to anyone at the council today" he said in his Ripper chief tone.

"My…Will Nick be there?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Yes, Klaus will be there but you'll not talk to him. You'll not talk to anyone of them. You're mine now. You're one of us now. You have nothing to do with Originals" he said again in his cold Ripper tone.

Yes, she was pregnant so he had decided to go easy on her. That didn't mean he forgive her for her treachery. It was a confusing situation. His heart yearned for her but his mind insisted on keeping her away from himself. He was hurt and that didn't go away.

She looked taken aback by his words. "What do you mean I have nothing to do with Originals? They are my family" she stated, frowning.

"I thought you said you chose me" he said, arching a brow.

"I did"

"then that means I'm your family now" he said carelessly, walking toward the dining table, filling her a plate with healthy breakfast.

"Damon…I…Of course, you're my family but I…I…Nick and Kol…and Bex…they are my siblings. I didn't say I'm leaving them" she said, tears filling her eyes again.

"It's them or me?" he said, coldly. Was she going back on her word? Did she want to go back to her family? Inwardly, he panicked. No, he couldn't lose her. He can't live without her. After series of discussion with Mason, Bonnie and Stefan regarding Elena's new found pregnancy and her relation to Petrova clan, they had decided on keeping her in the clan regardless of her treachery. And now, she was backing off. She wanted to go back to her family again.

"Damon, they are my family" she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Can't we figure out something else?"

"If you think I'll make peace with your asshole of a brother than you're sadly mistaken baby. He fucking abused each and every one of us" he said, seething. She flinched at his tone. He instantly regretted his outburst. He curled and uncurled his fists, trying to relax.

"Elena, you said you chose me. Are you going back on your word?" he asked, his voice dead calm.

"Why are you doing this to me, Damon?" she said as a sob escaped her lips. "I never asked you to choose between your family and me" she added.

"My family is accepting you. Your family would never accept me. There is a difference between your family and mine. Mine has the capability of staying civil. While yours are planning to commence a war on us as we speak" he said.

"Damon…" she breathed, hurt.

He held her hands in his and led her to couch as he guided her into a sitting position. He sank to his knees before her, holding both of her hands. "I know that…that this tough on you. But…but your family will never accept me. They will never let us be together. They want to take you away from me. I can't allow that. You're my mate. You're going to be the mother of my child. We have a baby on the way, Elena. Think about him or her." He pleaded, staring into her orbs.

"He raised me, Damon. I…Nick is like a father figure to me…Bex had always been there when I needed her and Kol…Kol is my best friend. I…How do I leave my own family?" she said, her eyes welling up with tears again.

" I'm not going to lie. I hate Originals more than anything on this planet. And…I hate that you're connected to the man I despise the most. But your position to me didn't change. You're still my mate. You're still the love of my life…and I still love you and I know that's not going to change. I will give you a chance to explain yourself after we comeback tonight." He took a deep breathe.

"Look…I know that we are not in a good place. And I'm still bitter and hurt. But I'll try to move past everything if you choose me. We both have serious decisions to make in future. We are going to have a child now Elena. And it's not some normal child. It's going to be half demon and half magic. We have our child's future to think of first." He said, looking hopefully to her.

It killed her inwardly but she agreed. She chose him. He was her mate after all. Her foremost priority. To her, he was her world. And he was right, she had to think about her child first.

She wrapped her arms around him. "He is going to hate me" she said dipping her head in his neck.

"But, I will be here for you" he promised as he wrapped his arms around her, comforting her.

So, here she was, with her mate. Ready to give statement that she wanted to stay with her mate and it was she who crossed the border first. Her mate's grip on her hand tightened as he entered huge room. He turned around and embraced her, burying his face in her hair. She felt his breathe against her neck. She knew what he was doing. He wanted to leave his scent on her so all the vampires here knew she was with him, that she belonged to him. He pulled away after a brief moment and laced his fingers with hers. "Ready?" he asked, concerned.

She nodded.

Series of emotions hit her when she noticed her brothers and her parents sitting across the room. Klaus immediately stood up, looking at her. "Honey" he breathed. Relief washed over him as his eyes traveled her. She was okay. They didn't hurt her.

Elena stood frozen. Could she do this? Could she tell the Council that she wanted to stay with her mate? If she did that she will be thrown out of her clan forever. Nick, Kol, Rebekah and her parents everyone would hate her. She would be banished from the clan for the rest of her eternity. Can she tolerate that? Damon wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her closer to him, possessively.

Klaus let out a growl at his move. His fists clenched and for a moment Elena thought he would attack Damon again.

"Nicklaus" Elijah warned him silently.

Elena forced her eyes away from her brother to her younger brother Kol. He too was seething in a corner.

"Baby…" Damon said snapping her attention back to him.

"Huh" she said, forcing her eyes away from her family to her mate.

"Are you okay?" he said, concerned.

She nodded, offering him a weak smile.

Klaus looked at his sister and her mate interact from a distance. He was one hundred percent sure that the Ripper was only using her. Oh! As soon as he gets Elena back, he will launch an attack on Rippers with his allies and kill him himself.

He cringed inwardly, when the Ripper kissed his sister's cheek. Elena looked pale and weak. For a moment, he wondered if the spell had triggered. He focused on her to hear any additional heartbeat.

No. Just Elena's faint heartbeat. But that only meant he had limited time left to get her back. He had threatened half of the council to favor him. In no way was he risking Elena. He had to get her back at all cost.

Elena staying with the Ripper was not only damaging his plans but his reputation as well. The world will scoff at him if he let the Ripper have his sister.

Elena's eyes darted back at him. They were swollen and red from all the crying and he swore he would make sure the Ripper pays for every tear that fell from her eye because of him. The Ripper called her again, grasping her attention back. That desperate fool. Klaus thought. Did he really think his sister would choose him over her family.

He knew Elena's weakness. All he needed to do was remind her of all the things he had done for her and Elena would be an emotional wreck. He had raised the girl. He knew her more than anyone.

"Ripper" Klaus called out.

All the Ripper clan vampires including the witch Bonnie looked at him. "I don't know what lies have you fed my child sister but I'm giving you a chance to back off. After this, there will be no more chances. Hand her back to me and I'll show mercy." Klaus bargained.

Damon ignored him and continued his conversation with Alaric, holding his mate, tightly, protectively.

"Honey…Won't you come meet your brothers? We were worried sick about you last night. I didn't sleep. Rebekah and Kol haven't even fed." Klaus addressed his sister.

Elena's pained eyes darted to her brother.

"Emotional blackmailer" Damon muttered. "Baby…don't listen to him" he said running his fingers through her hair.

"Elena, Love. Please…come here" Isobel said, getting up.

"Ripper…Damon. Let's solve this without all the formality. Man on man. I'll give you anything. Wealth, Castles...loyal vampires, the sky is the limit. Just hand her back." Klaus said, stepping toward them.

"My mate is not own sale" Damon said, disgusted by his offer.

"Come on! Damon, let's not pretend that you actually care about Elena here. She is a child but I'm not. I know your true intentions"

"You know nothing" Damon hissed.

"Let's settle this before the hearing" Klaus said in his most civil tone. This was his step one to make Elena realize that her mate only wanted her for territory and power.

"I will give you what you wanted ever since you were turned."

"I don't want anything from you" Damon snapped at him.

"Damon…please" Elena pleaded. She didn't like him using that tone with her brother.

"Mystic Falls. I'll give you Mystic Falls in return for Elena" Klaus bargained.

* * *

 **(A/N):** Sorry for the long gap. I had been busy with a wedding. Anyway, next update will be quick. Probably around Sunday.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter

Thank you Cool Angel for such a beautiful review and AnnaD for explaining the story to the guest who was confused.

So, the actual conflict starts from this chapter. Please leave me a review and let me know if you liked it. I love hearing from you. It actually helps me write faster. It's the only thing fanfic writer gets in return for his/her effort and trust me we cherish each and everyone of review

Thank you so much for your support till now

Some of the readers think that Damon is a bit too harsh on Elena after he found out she is an Original. I think anger is logical when you are betrayed by the person you love the most. You don't stop loving them but you'll certainly lash out at them especially if it comes down to your family. Then again, do keep in mind that this a fictional story before you flame because trust me it hurts :/

Next Chapter:

Elena accept her crime in front of council.

Klaus's scheme involving the Sire bond.

Elena chooses...? Her family? Her mate?


	22. True love always wins

**Chapter 21**

* * *

 _ **(A:N) Italic parts are past**_

* * *

"Mystic Falls. I'll give you Mystic Falls in return for Elena" Klaus bargained. "You leave my sister alone and I give you my word that my clan and I will pack up our bags and leave Mystic Falls for good." He added.

Elena heard her own rapid breaths as she stared at her brother with disbelief swimming so hard in her it made her dizzy. Her primal instinct to stay with her mate flared. She looked up at her mate. Would he exchange her for his town?

He looked disgusted at Klaus's offer as if the offer itself was disrespect to him. His eyes darted to her, stifling his rage. As much as she was ashamed at her brother's approach to get her back she couldn't help but feel surprised at the extent Klaus would go for her. Mystic Falls was his baby. He loved the town. This was their town. Klaus had told her once was that this was the town where he was born. It used to be known as The Fells back then. He was ready to give up this town for her.

When a chief gives up his territory he is basically surrendering. That is considered a great disrespect to the clan. He was willing to tolerate that humiliation for her.

She heard Klaus scoff before Damon could open his mouth to talk.

"See, Honey. He is thinking about the offer. He's only using you for my crown. By remaining silent he revealed his true nature. The filth…even if he ever gets my crown will remain filth. Do you see now what he truly is? He is diminutive—a termite—hungry for power. I bet he doesn't even know how to spell love. And you…you my naïve sister were fighting for him with your own family…"Klaus growled, his nostrils flaring with anger as his eyes darted to her seething mate.

Damon's eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't help but praise Klaus's scheming mind. First blackmailing and now brainwashing. He was doing everything to stray Elena away from her firm decisions to be with him.

"Stop making conclusions out of anything Klaus. And to answer you, No, I reject your offer. Mystic Falls is not worth a hair on her head. I will choose Elena over a thousand Mystic Falls. I will choose her over the world" he answered, seriously. "and if it comes down to war on Mystic Falls than you and I both know how it's going to be" he added, a cruel malevolent smirk crossed his face.

Klaus raised a brow, demanding for explanation.

"Your Majesty, your highness, Klaus down on his knees begging me for forgiveness, kissing my black cap toe oxfords, as I plunge my victory flag in his back." He spat and he felt Elena hiss in disapproval. He ignored her disapproval.

Klaus smirked, but was burning inside with rage. "That's a lot of confidence for a person whose best strategy to get my crown was to sleep with my sister"

"Watch your tongue when you're talking about my mate, Klaus. I will not tolerate any disrespect towards her" he warned.

"She used to be our sister first before you forcefully made her your mate" Kol hissed.

Damon released his mate and walked toward the Original vampire. "I did not force her. She chose me herself. She offered me her blood first" he said with each step.

"—which you probably manipulated her too" Kol added, stubbornly. "Like your brother Stefan did with Rebekah" he added, reminding him of a time long ago.

"Don't you see? Honey" Klaus said looking over his enemy's shoulder to his sister. "This all had happened before. Except this time…they were smarter. These brothers flip coin on who gets to seduce my sisters into killing me. First his brother slept with Bex…" He trailed off when Stefan interrupted. "Oh…trust me…there wasn't much of sleeping—"

"You bastard" Klaus growled as stepped forward. Kol and Elijah held him back from attacking the younger Salvatore.

Damon looked at him warily, walking back toward his trembling mate. He grasped her wrist, pulling her closer.

"Step away from her you diminutive lowlife trash" Klaus warned.

"Nicklaus! Have you lost your mind?" Lord Hummel warned him. "This is the Council meeting room. Behave yourself" he added, strictly.

"Do you see how these lowlifes talk about your family? Do you see how low they think of your sister? They want to kill your brother and you're supporting them…" Klaus shouted at Elena.

"Nick" she breathed.

"They are just using you…Why can't you see that? They know my family is my weakness." Klaus raged.

Elena was trembling all over now. Damon enveloped her in his arms. He held her tightly hiding her from her enraged brother until she stopped shaking and her heart settled down to somewhere near normal.

"They are using you to hurt me, Elena. These Rippers are turning my own blood against me" Klaus continued.

Damon glared at the nonsense the Original was spewing. He knew by now that Klaus could not have sent Elena if he was wanted her back so bad. But then again, it could be his strategy to show that he wasn't involved. One could never fully understand the way an Original's mind worked.

"How can you love a man who feels no shame in declaring that he wants to kill off your family?" Klaus was guilt tripping her now. In a way, he was right. Damon did want to wipe off filth like Klaus from earth.

Damon rolled his eyes "Worthless mixed breed lowlife"

"Damon!" Elena finally snapped. "You can't insult my brother like that"

"You didn't stop him when he was spewing nonsense against us. Are you on his side again?" he asked, brows raised.

"He is my brother…please" she begged, her voice breaking.

Klaus's emotional blackmailing, brainwashing and now guilt tripping her, was finally working. It's not that Damon didn't expect that. It was easy to say that she chose him but now that she was in front of her family again she was doubtful. No…not her love. Her love for him was pure. He could feel it in her emotions through their mating connection that she wanted to stay with him but her love for her family was just as much. She was torn just like he was a day ago when her truth revealed to him. He didn't actually forgive her for hiding such a big secret from him and he honestly couldn't find it in him to move on from that. But, he wasn't ready to give up his mate either. She was his mate…his soul mate. How do you give up your own soul?

"Come with me" he ordered as he grasped her hand and led her out of the room.

"I can't do this" she breathed as she broke into painful sobs. "I can't choose. I want you both. I can't lose anyone." Deep, painful sobs wrenched her body as she slumped forward and buried her face into the crook of his neck. "Please…Can't we work something out? Please…Please" she begged.

"Elena…"

"He is my brother, Damon. How do you expect me to give up my family? Don't get me wrong. I love you. I love you so much. I can't imagine a life without you but…they are my family. Nick, Kol, Bex, Mum and Father...I need them in my life. I can't live without them either" she added.

When she cried like that he really wanted to listen to her. For a brief moment, he even considered about a truce treaty but he brushed those thoughts away immediately. He couldn't be selfish like that. Did he forget what Klaus did to him and his clan? His family would never forgive him if he even thought about to that.

Klaus did them too much damage. They had a very cruel history with Klaus. He had abused them all. Hell, they were turned because of that demon. Originals were monsters. Just because he was in love with her didn't mean he can ever forgive Klaus and Originals for all the damage and pain they had caused them. It would be unfair to Bonnie, his best friend who lost her grandmother, the chief of Bennett's, because of Klaus. It would be unfair to Alaric, his creator, who lost his wife to that monster. It would be unfair to all the to Stefan and him and their family who were all burnt alive in that building that Klaus's clan set on fire. It would be unfair to the werewolf race who had lost their family members to Klaus's unjustified hate toward their race.

"Elena…we talked about this." He said, firmly. She pulled away, staring into his orbs, pleading with her eyes. "but they are…"

"You can't have them and me at the same time. I'm sorry but you have to choose" he said, stoic.

She broke into a low anguished sob, gripping his shirt for support, her red tear stained face hidden in the curtain of her hair.

"Elena…please stop crying…" he said with a resigned sigh. He cupped her face in his hands and brushed away her hair to expose her tear brimmed red eyes. He ran the back of his hand across her cheek wiping away tears that now made their way down her face.

"Can you...could you please stop crying? We have to talk." He said. He cupped her chin, lifting her face up to where their eyes would meet.

"I know it's painful for you to choose. But…there is no other choice, Elena. Believe me when I say this that…I don't want to put you through this." He said warmly, looking down briefly as if ashamed. For a very brief moment her Damon was back. Before she could answer, he looked back at her, distance and coldness returning to his eyes. "but things can't always go the way we want." He added in his cold Ripper chief tone, the tone he used with his clan members.

"None of my clan members wanted to keep you with us, Elena. Elena, you shattered my image and my trust in you. By our rules, you should have been executed the minute we found out about your identity but I fought for you even after your betrayal.

Rick took you under his protection by my orders. Everyone mocked me for my blind trust on you, Elena. I lost my honor because I was the one who gloated that you should be trusted. I lost my clan's complete trust and respect to me because I loved and still love a traitor—an Original…"

"Damon…please" she interrupted, ashamed. She knew that. She knew that as his mate, a chief's mate, everything she did affected him. She was his honor, his queen. Her every step, her every move affected his reputation as a chief as well.

"Elena, but it's the past. We can't change it. However we have our future to think about." He said as his hand grazed down her body to her flat stomach, reminding her of the little life, they discovered was growing inside her the very moment.

"Please choose me" His voice was a tortured whisper.

"I did…I will" she said, looking up from through her wet lashes.

"It's hard I know"

"It hurts" she accepted.

"I'm sorry" he said and he meant it. But unfortunately there was nothing they could do about it. Asking her to choose between him and her family was wrong. Especially when he could see how much he was hurting her by it but he didn't have any choice. By now, he knew Klaus had an agenda with Elena. He couldn't trust them with her. And now that his child was involved too, his primal instinct to keep his mate safe was hundred times more than before. He didn't even want Elena in the same room as Originals.

"I am sorry too…for everything, for putting you through all this" she said, ashamed. "I never wanted all this to happen. I've tarnished your reputation as a chief. Everyone thinks that I'm a traitor…"

He cut her off "then you'll prove them wrong today. You will show everyone that your alliance, your true faithfulness, your dedication is to me and only me. You're mine…you'll show them all today. Right?" he asked, hopefully.

He held her hands and waited for her answer. By the sound of Klaus's harsh breathes he knew Klaus was listening. Good. He wanted Klaus to listen that Elena was his mate now. Just his mate. She wasn't an Original anymore. She was his Ripper Queen.

Elena stared at him, torn again.

A part of her wanted to tear her hands away from her mate and go back to her family. The brother, who raised her, was in pain because of her betrayal. She couldn't bear that. She wanted to go back and apologize to him. She wanted to make him the magic custard cake he loved. She wanted to cry until he forgives her. Not just Nick, she wanted Kol and Rebekah's forgiveness as well.

She missed Klaus's fatherly love that she never got from her real father Mikael. She missed her angry yet compassionate sister Rebekah who gave her all her love. She wanted to cry with her head in her lap and wanted to feel her fingers running through her hair. She wanted Kol to make fun of her crying so much. She wanted his kisses on her forehead as he told her she was his super star sister. She wanted to share the news of her miracle pregnancy with them.

She wanted her family back.

But then there was Damon, who was her home. A person, she always felt safe with. The only man she would ever love in her eternal life. A man, she knew would save her even if council decides to give her death penalty. He loved her like no one ever did. He made her laugh. He made her feel alive. He taught her how to live fully and love passionately. She was so desperately in love with him that it hurt to imagine a world without him.

After the way he found out about her, she thought she had lost him forever but he was still here…asking her to choose him. Ultimately, choosing him should be easy. But it wasn't.

The door of the room opened and Rick stepped out. "Uhh…Damon…they are here." He informed.

"Okay" Damon replied. "Let's go" he said again in his Ripper chief tone.

He held her wrist, careful not to touch the wounded area and led her inside the room.

* * *

The room was filled with dead silence. A line of vampires stood behind the council lords. The council lords were all seated around the conference table. Lord Branston, one of the oldest vampires known, sat at the head of table with Lord Hummel, Lord Silas and Mikael, Isobel, Kol and Elijah sitting on his left. Originals gaurds were standing behind them, alert and ready.

Lord Harold, Lord Augustine, Lord Brady, Lady Pearl, Lady Anna, Lord Carter, Alaric, Damon, Elena, Enzo, Bonnie and Stefan on the right side of the long conference table, with the Ripper guards standing behind them just as aware and ready as Original guards.

Lady Pearl stood up and explained the whole situation to Lord Branston and rest of the council.

"Very well..." Lord Branston replied after listening to all the details and accusation.

"Elena Michelson" he said as his eyes darted to Elena. Something in his serious, stoic eyes sacred her. From under the table, her mate gripped her hand as if comforting her with his touch.

"Yes"

"Do you wish to add anything to what respected Lady Pearl said?" he asked.

She felt her palms sweaty again. Before she could lose control over herself again, Damon's fingers laced through hers.

Her eyes darted to Klaus who had cold look on his face.

"Nothing…nothing else, My Lord"

The elder Lord nodded. "Lord Hummel! Carry on with the ritual"

"Yes" Lord Hummel said with a bow.

"You are Miss Elena Michelson, youngest of the Original clan. Correct?" he said, scribbling on his notepad.

She looked toward Klaus and nodded.

"You were turned by Mr. Nicklaus Michelson?" he asked.

She nodded again.

"You belong to the clan Originals?"

"Yes" she said.

Her mate's grip on her hand tightened. He absolutely despised her connection to Originals. No, she did not belong to Originals anymore. She used too. But not anymore. In that moment, he vowed after today he would never let any Original ever see her again. He wouldn't even let their shadow come close to her. He refused to give up his mate. It was as if she could read his thoughts. Her thumb stroked the back side of his hand as if telling him with her touch that he didn't need to worry. She was completely his now. He suppressed the burning rage that was eating him from inside.

Lord Hummel continued. "You are mate to the chief of Rippers, Damon Salvatore. You performed the ritual with him with your full consent?"

"Under no pressure, blackmail and in your complete control?" he added, with a smirk. To him, it was the tricky part. He knew how male vampire got whenever they were in love. Their demon urges were uncontrollable. He was sure the Ripper chief must have forced her.

"Yes, my Lord. I performed the ritual with my consent. I was in my complete control. He fought his demon for me. I offered my blood to him myself. I initiated the blood bond ritual" she answered, rather confidently.

From across the table Kol hissed, looking away.

"Did you recognize him as Chief of Rippers back then?" Lord Hummel asked, frowning.

Klaus's hurt eyes met her. She looked down, unable to match eyes with her own brother. "Yes"

"I knew I was aware of his rank" she added.

"And you? Chief of Rippers! Did you know that this girl is Nicklaus Michelson's youngest sister Elena Michelson—an Original?" he addressed her mate.

"Did you know that she belonged from Klaus's clan?" he added.

Damon bit his lip, nervous for the first time. "No…I…I was not aware of that" he said. A couple of Lords smirked, of course, No one would believe him.

Klaus growled. "Stop fucking with us, Salvatore. My Lord, he is lying-"

Lord Augustine interrupted him "You'll be given a chance, Klaus. Don't interrupt"

Klaus gritted his teeth and looked at Elena. What was she doing? The Rippers had brainwashed his little sister good. His naïve sister was ruining everything.

"Lord Hummel, my mate Damon didn't have the slightest idea of my true identity" she accepted, looking down. "I hid it from him" she added, her voice trembling again.

"And for what particular reason?" Lady Anna asked.

"I…I thought he will kill me" she answered.

"Kill" Klaus said, his face scrunching up in pain. As if he would have left the filth to live if Elena had ever gotten even scratched. He would have burned the Ripper to ashes. In a way, he couldn't blame the Ripper. Caroline had told him it was all her fault Elena got stuck in first place. He was still very mad at her for that. This was the reason he wasn't mad at Elena. He knew his little sister. He knew she couldn't betray him. She had lived these four months under the fear of that venomous creature who claimed to be her mate now.

Damon felt insulted by Elena's answer. Did she never trust his love? Is this the reason she never told him who she really was? Did she not see his complete devotion and his mad love for her? He had always been there for her. He had saved her from danger on multiple occasions. He could die for her. Did she still not trust him? That hurt.

She made him feel human again. The naïve, innocent being, he once used to be. She made him love life all over again. She made him want to live. She was his life like he was hers. Why would you kill your own life? How could she even think that?

Hurt, she felt his emotions through the mating bond even though his face remained cold and emotionless.

"See! I told you. He was threatening you. Wasn't he? Honey." Klaus said.

"Don't be afraid to tell the truth, Daughter" Mikael said.

"We are here for you. The Ripper can't dare to touch you" Isobel added.

"Originals" Lord Augustine warned them.

"Why? Did he ever threaten you?" Lord Hummel asked, his face lit up. Finally he had something against the Rippers.

"No…Never" she said, looking up at the "old one".

"Then why did you think that?" Lady Pearl screeched.

"Because…I was taught to hate him. He used to be the monster in each of my bedtime stories. I was told of how reckless, emotionless and cruel they are. I was told Rippers were monsters. But when I met Damon…he wasn't anything like my siblings told me about.

He is…he is caring. He shows everyone that he is very selfish when he is completely the opposite. He is compassionate and very empathetic. He cares for everyone without showing it much. He works tirelessly to keep his friends and his family safe. He feels bad when he can't protect and provide for his clan. I realized that he is not what my clan painted him to be. I realized that the monster they told me he was, is far better than our heroes" she completed.

"What rubbish?" Mikael said, looking at her.

"Have you lost your mind?" Isobel hissed. "Stop this madness and come here right now" she added.

"Isobel" Klaus warned the woman.

"Miss Michelson! You crossing the boundary…was it under your brother's influence? Answer truthfully. We will know if you lie" he threatened.

"No. No. It was an accident" she said, shaking her head.

"What accident?" Lord Harold demanded.

"My brother's wedding was coming up. I…" she stopped. She didn't want to bring Caroline into this. "I needed to gift something to my sister in law. She wanted a designer dress. So…I crossed the boundary that day. I thought they would never know but somehow their witch figured it out and I got caught" she lied.

"Were you alone?" Lady Anna asked.

"Yes"

"Elena" Damon warned. Why was she lying? Why wasn't she telling them about Klaus's wife? Lying to council was not right.

"Damon…Please" she whispered.

"What's going on?" Lord Silas demanded.

"Can I talk to my mate privately?" he asked Lord Augustine. He knew his friend would allow that.

"Five minutes" He permitted.

He held her wrist tightly and led her out of the room to a corner.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, angrily.

"Damon…Let me do this. I'm already hurting my brother. Please…I don't want to bring his mate into this"

"Well! I'm not risking my mate for his. They have witches who will detect in a minute that you're lying." He hissed.

"I'm not lying. In a way, I was alone when you and your vampires caught me" she pointed out.

"I see your lying habits still haven't left" he said, harshly.

"I'm just trying to save…"

"No, Elena. Lying to council means immediate death penalty. You'll go back in there and tell them the truth" he said strictly. He understood that she was trying to save her family from more hurt and humiliation but haven't she learnt anything from lying so much. Lying is never an option. Look what that got her in.

"I can't. I don't want to involve Caroline…"

"She is already involved" he said, sternly. "When we get back in there you're going to tell them the truth" he ordered.

"I…"

"No…now let's go before they get suspicious" he said

"I know that you're protecting your…your family but lying won't help the situation." He whispered silently as they walked back to room.

"She is lying. I with my own hands had caught this lowlife's mate myself. She too had crossed the boundary" They heard Stefan argue pointing at Klaus.

Elena let out a frustrated sigh. Damon glared at his brother. Could Stefan keep his mouth shut for a minute?

"But Miss Michelson said…"

"Elena is lying. My mate did cross the boundary that day with my sister. Elena is just trying to save her now" Klaus admitted.

"Aha…See" Stefan said.

"She was just going to correct her statement" Damon defended his mate.

"Lying to council… Do you know what that means you foolish girl?" Lord Augustine said.

"I beg your pardon from my sister's behalf." Klaus immediately interfered. "She is young. A child. She is not aware of the severity of rules here"

"Very Well! Miss Michelson…let me warn you that the punishment for lying to the council is death penalty. Please refrain from lying from now on." Lord Branston warned coldly.

"Where is Mrs. Michelson?" Lord Silas asked. "Surely, you knew we would need to investigate her too" he added.

"There is nothing to investigate anymore" Elena interrupted. "Caroline and I crossed the border because I needed a designer dress. I lied to save my life. It was only supposed to be one lie but you know what they say lies have no legs. To hide one lie a thousand lies are needed. I lied to Damon and the Rippers and I lied to my brothers and my family." She admitted.

"So you crossed the border for a dress?" Lord Silas said, incredulously. The girl put two clans to war just for a dress.

"Yes" she admitted. It all did started with Caroline's wedding dress.

"You realize what you're saying. You violated the rules for a dress?" he repeated.

"Elena didn't violate the rules. His mate did" Damon interrupted.

"We are asking Miss Michelson." Lord Hummel stopped him.

"I didn't mean to cause all this trouble" Elena said, looking down nervously. "I fell in love…that's not a crime"

"Miss Elena, I'm sorry to say this but you clearly are not aware of the seriousness of the situation." He said, harshly.

"I'm"

"No. You're not" he scolded.

"I am apologetic for my behavior." She managed to choke. "I take full responsibility for everything. My mate nor my brothers are at fault. They were both unaware of the situation" she accepted.

"Are you accepting that you're solely responsible for the situation? You realize that you could have been the cause of a deadly war?" Lord Silas asked.

"My lord she is…" Damon interrupted.

"Silence, Ripper" Lord Harold said harshly.

"Yes" Elena choked. A series of whispers followed.

"Do you realize the trouble you're in? Miss Michelson" Lord Branston said harshly to her and she shuddered from the raise of his voice.

"Lord Branston, Please Elena is immature, a child" Klaus said immediately. "—and my sibling. I request to you to lower your voice when addressing her" he warned subtly.

She looked at her brother and thanked him with her eyes. Her mate noticed the exchange between the siblings and looked away, frowning. He would have defended her too if Klaus gave him enough time.

Her mate's grip on her hand tightened. She looked at him, tears stinging her eyes. "Relax" he mouthed. She nodded, looking down but she couldn't help feel scared. All the vampires here were centuries older than her. If they decided to give her death penalty would her clans defend her? Her heart raced, and she felt the adrenaline pump fast in her veins. She felt bile rising in her throat, and fought it down with great effort. Black haze of hysteria was filling her eyes but she blinked her eyes furiously trying to stay conscious.

"Huh! The violation of the biggest rule has only one punishment" Lord Silas said carelessly.

"Since the girl took all responsibility therefore there is no more discuss anymore. The Ripper-Original treaty that was made under the council clearly states the vampire who crosses boundary will be executed. The Council finds the girl guilty and under the treaty rules orders her to be executed" he declared.

"No" Klaus roared.

"Over my burning pile of ashes" her mate hissed.

"Absolutely not" Mikael and Isobel said.

"My Lord, surely we can settle this some other way" Lord Hummel stammered, signaling Klaus to remain calm.

"The spirit of the treaty demands this" Lord Branston said.

"To hell with the treaty" Damon hissed.

Elena's heart skipped as she heard Lord Branston's words. Her pulse quickened. Her breath got stuck in her throat and she felt her lungs compress against her chest wall, desperate for oxygen. Tears brimmed her eyes. She felt her vision blur. All her thoughts became muddled. "No" she choked as her arms circled around her flat stomach. They didn't know but if they killed her they would also kill an innocent life growing inside her. She couldn't let them do that.

"I won't let anyone touch my mate" her mate growled.

"and my daughter" Mikael added.

"Agreed" Klaus added, his voice full of authority.

"The girl will only cause more trouble" Lord Branston replied. If they don't execute her now the clans will fight over who gets to keep her. She is better off dead. He reasoned with himself.

Elena lowered her face in her hands, her hair hung over her face as she started crying uncontrollably. If she tells them about her pregnancy, maybe they will show mercy on her. She thought.

"Honey..." Klaus called from across the table.

"Elena…stop it." Her mate tended her softly. Bonnie poured water in a glass and offered it to her. "Elena…calm down. Stress isn't good for…you know." She whispered as she brought the glass to her lips.

"The Council's decision is final" Lord Branston said.

"I demand you take the decision back, Branston and I demand my sister to be returned to her clan" Klaus warned. "You know very well what I do to people who even think of my clan members the wrong way" he added.

"Are you threatening me?" Lord Branston nostrils flared with anger.

"Oh…he is just threatening. I'm the one who will take action" Damon replied.

"The girl will only spew more trouble. Why do both clans insist on her life when she clearly lied and deceived both of you" Lady Anna said.

"My Lord, the girl is Klaus's sibling and Damon's mate. She is important to both the clans. We can't order her to be executed. Both the clans are ready to fight for her. We can't cope with both of them" Lord Hummel whispered in Branston's ear.

"I agree" Lady Pearl added.

"Do both the Original and the Ripper chief agree on letting the girl live?" he asked.

Both the chief's nodded giving their approval.

"Well... In this particular case we withdraw our prior decision" Lord Branston declared. Elena sighed in relief. "You're okay" her mate murmured. Elena wiped her tears, nodding. Her eyes stung from crying so much.

"but who gets to keep the girl…we still need to settle that matter?" he added.

"I'm Elena's creator and her clan's chief. Elena belongs to me…she belongs to Originals. We demand the council to give her back" Klaus said with authority in his tone.

"I'm her mate. She belongs with me." Damon said just with as much authority.

"See…this…this is what I wanted to avoid" Lord Branston said, making a face.

"She is my creation. By the rules of vampires I own her" Klaus said, strictly. Elena looked at her brother. He was talking about her as if she was some sort of belonging. She wasn't a thing. She wasn't a doll. She was a living person.

"She is my mate and she is going to stay with me. She has nothing to do with you or your disgusting inhumane clan"

"Watch your mouth you diminutive creature. Don't forget your true worth you trash. You're nothing in front of me and my family. You're not worthy of an Original vampire. You're not worthy of her"

"Nick" Elena said, pleading him with her eyes to stop.

"If I am diminutive then you're power crazed mix breed. All humanity is just jam to you. Isn't it?" her mate snarled. " and don't forget that I'm still a hundred times more respected and powerful than you." He added.

"Why you…" Klaus said as he got up, ready to launch.

"Nicklaus" Mikael stopped him, holding his arm. He pulled Klaus back and whispered something so low that even with vampire hearing Damon couldn't hear him.

Klaus smirked.

"We can't return the girl even we wanted my Lord. She knows too much. You already know our relations with our neighbors are not too good" Alaric broke his silence.

"The Council will use their witches to modify her memories and if not that then Klaus and Mikael possess an extraordinary power of compelling vampires. They will just make her forget everything in front of us" Lord Hummel suggested.

"I will never allow that" Damon said, fuming.

"Who is asking you?" Klaus said carelessly.

"I don't want to forget Damon. I don't want that" Elena spoke, clearly panicked.

"You know what? Let Honey choose. She will decide who she wants to stay with…" Klaus declared.

"That's a good suggestion" Lord Harold and Lady Pearl immediately agreed.

Lord Branston nodded. "Do both chiefs agree to this?" he asked. "You'll both accept Elena's decision?" he added.

Damon looked warily at his mate. Just a day ago, she had broken his trust. How does he trust her with the biggest decision of their lives? If he agreed now and Elena chooses her family he will lose his mate and his child. He could never trust Originals with them. And the worst part he wouldn't even be able to object.

"Damon?" Stefan snapped him out of his trance.

"Huh"

"Do you agree?" Lord Branston asked.

So, here it was. The first test of their love. Should he trust her? He asked himself. She had given him no reason to trust her. She had broken his heart and trust yesterday. The funny thing about trust…A trust, once broken, is very hard to repair. His eyes darted to his mate who was looking down at her lap, tears rolling down her cheeks. She was broken and torn.

But they didn't have a choice. She had to either choose him or her family. There was no way in between.

"Yes" he said, putting his trust in her one last time.

"I want to talk to my sister privately" Klaus demanded.

"No" Damon rejected, holding his mate's hand.

"I plead to the Council to let me talk to Elena alone." Klaus ignored him and looked at Lord Hummel.

"Of course" he agreed.

"I'm sorry but I can't allow that. I have a feeling that whatever he wants to say will influence her decision" Damon said.

"How are you so sure she wants to stay with you?" Kol asked.

"Mating Bond" Damon said proudly.

"Yes, the bond that you forced my daughter in" Isobel shrieked.

"Mum…he didn't force me" Elena said.

"It wasn't supposed to be you. It was supposed to be Elijah Smith. Her mate was supposed to be Elijah" she growled at her daughter's mate.

"Coming back to my request…Can I please talk to my sister privately?" Klaus said.

"No" Damon replied.

"I…I want to talk to him" Elena said touching her mate's bicep. "Please" she added. Before he could reply, Lady Pearl interrupted. "I think the Council should consider Klaus's request since he is Elena's chief. He won't harm her we know that. And he won't compel her to take decisions because I myself will be guarding her" she added.

"Fine… The Council will take a break of thirty minutes. The Council allows Klaus Michelson and Originals to talk to the Ripper chief's mate on Lady Pearl's responsibility" Lord Branston declared.

* * *

Damon was clearly not happy with her meeting with Klaus. His resolve was cold and he now dreaded the upcoming decision. "Elena…relax…the stress isn't good for you" he murmured to her when he felt her anxiety.

"They were going to kill us" she said as her hand led down to her was talking about herself and their baby. He looked around, making sure there wasn't any Original listening to their conversation. The last thing he needed was them to find out about Elena's pregnancy.

"No…no. I would've never let that happen" he promised.

"If it weren't for him…" she said looking down, talking about their child. "I would have let them kill me. I hurt everyone I love. All these problems are because of me. I'm better off dead" she said, looking down.

"No! No! No! Don't you ever, ever say that again!" he said gripping her shoulder. "Don't you even think like that" he added. He pulled her closer, staring deeply into her sad eyes.

"It wasn't your fault Elena. This was all destined to happen. You were a victim of situation…I understand that now. Please calm down" he added.

"They wanted to kill me"

"and you'd think I would allow that. You're one of us now, Elena. You're one of the Rippers. We fight for each other. My clan and I would have fought for you." he added.

"I don't know what to do"

"Firstly, calm down. The stress isn't good for you. Secondly, you need to take your decision…you need to speak clearly to the council what you want so we can go home back to our life and fix us" he said, running his fingers through her locks.

"We have important decisions to make regarding the new addition to our family" he added, with a slight smile.

"Family…" Elena breathed.

He nodded. "Family…you, me and…our everything" he whispered making sure there weren't any prying ears around.

"Our miracle" Elena said, a smile forming on her face. The future seemed too beautiful the way he showed her.

The hurt and betrayal from yesterday haven't gone away from his mind. He needed time to process and forgive her for her lies but right now she needed his reassurance. "I need time to process everything, Elena. I promise I'll move on from this but…I need time to forgive you. But you should know that I…I love you. I'm going to love you each and every single day. You'll not regret this"

She let out a weak smile. It was easy to say she chose him but severely difficult to say it out loud. She didn't want to leave her family. But there wasn't any other choice. Both the clans hated each other.

"You'll choose me right?" he asked, again hopefully.

"Always" she answered. "I love you" she added as she leaned in and captured his lips eagerly into a kiss. He was hesitant but he replied almost immediately, falling captive her warm lips.

When the council vampires came to take her to the room where his mate's meeting with Klaus was arranged, he gripped her tightly.

"I don't like this" he didn't hide his displeasure with the situation.

"Hon… Elena!" Kol said from behind the vampires. "Nick is waiting for you" he added.

"Don't go" Damon said, frowning. "I have a bad feeling about this"

"Your mother and Father are waiting for you" Kol added.

"She won't come. Go away" Damon replied from her behalf. He didn't know why but he was getting a bad vibe.

"Listen you…" Kol snarled.

"Kol…stop" Elena said as she got in between the seething vampires.

"Do you think you guys can stop jumping down each other's throats for two seconds?" Elena sighed. "We are adults… we can talk" she reminded them.

"No we can't" her mate replied.

"Exactly. This filth is not worth enough to address me" Kol replied, smugly.

"Kol… he is my mate" Elena reminded him.

"and believe me little sister I've never been more ashamed of you in my whole existence" he replied rather cruelly. Elena winced.

"How dare you talk to my mate like this?" Damon seethed.

"No…Damon stop" Elena said, holding him.

"Damon he is just trying to get you all riled up so you would make a mistake." Bonnie reminded him, alert.

Kol snickered. "Wow Silly witch. You're hell a lot smarter than you were before" he added. Enzo stiffened, taking a step toward them.

"We don't have much time Ma'am" One of the vampires from the council guard said impatiently.

Kol offered his hand to his sister. "Shall we?" he asked his sister.

She hesitantly placed her palm in her brother's hand. Very reluctantly, Damon let her hand out of his grasp.

He watched as Kol guided her to the meeting room.

* * *

Klaus was facing the window when she entered. As soon as the door closed he turned around with a weak smile.

He smiled and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. She hurriedly walked toward him. He drew her to his chest and embraced her wildly, all the while weeping. He smelled his enemy on her and he cringed. The mere scent of the Ripper was repulsive to him. "I am sorry. So terribly sorry that I let you stay the night with them. But you're safe now" he said pulling back.

"Elena?" her mother said.

She walked toward her mother and hugged her. "My precious baby" she murmured stroking her hair. She pulled back and looked toward her father. Somehow, her relations with Mikael were never even close to a normal father-daughter relation.

He nodded, acknowledging her.  
"Why didn't you bring Bex?" she asked.

"Someone needed to be at home to keep eyes on things" Klaus replied.

She turned toward her brother again who was behind her. "Did they hurt you?" he asked as he led her to a chair. She dropped her head on his shoulder and shook her head.

"Did you feed?" he asked, worriedly. "You look weak"

"Yes. I did" she replied. "I feed on Damon" she said and felt the room turn cold again.

"Can we have a private moment?" Klaus asked. "I want to talk to Elena alone"

Everyone in the room left except for Lady Pearl, at his request.

"I missed everyone." She said changing the topic again. "Especially you, Nick. I'm sorry for everything"

He gave her a smile and a dimple appeared in each cheek. How can anyone call him a cruel creature when he was so innocent? Elena thought.

"You don't have to miss me anymore, Elena. Just say the words and you'll be back with us" he replied.

"You're not mad at me?" she asked, surprised.

"After what you did by sparing Caroline from all the trouble? How could I?" he replied, softly. "Thank you for that"

"It wasn't her fault…I was just telling the truth" Elena shrugged. "But, I'm really sorry for everything I put you through" she added, tearing up again.

"I forgive you" he replied. "You're my little angel, Honey. You're a child. Sometimes they just forget their way back to home. It's their elders duty to guide them back to where they truly belong" he added.

She circled her arm around him, dreading to tell him that she chose her mate. This was the last time, she would be held by one of her blood. After she announces her decision Originals will banish her forever. Maybe, someday she will convince Damon to draw a treaty with Originals but not now. Their wounds were too fresh.

"You're coming home. Right?" Klaus asked. Before she could reply he answered his own question. "Of course, you are. Rebekah and Caroline would be very excited. I…haven't talked to Caroline lately. I even shouted at her. You'll need to help me with her. I don't know if I can ever forgive her for being so selfish" he yapped.

"Honey…" he snapped her out of her thoughts, sensing her hesitancy.

"Nick… I don't know what to do" she said nervously.

"Of course, you know what to do" Klaus said as he got up. She mimicked him. He held her arm softly and turned her to him. "You are going to choose your family" he said softly but in a voice full of authority. "You're going to choose your family where you actually belong. Nothing is more important than family, Honey. I want you to reject anything that parts you from your family. Understand?" he said, a command in his tone.

From a distance, he noticed Lady Pearl smirk. She of all people knew Klaus's capabilities.

All of sudden, Elena felt a pressure. The same kind of mad pressure she felt when she when she burned down the white oak forest. "Did you get me Elena?"

"Yes" Elena replied as if on auto pilot.

"I will choose my family no matter what" she replied.

Klaus felt guilty he was snatching her will from her. But Elena was a child. She didn't know what's good for her and what isn't. His sister insisted on playing with fire. As an older brother it was his responsibility to keep her safe.

"Good" he said, nervously. "Because I can't stand a day thinking that you're with my enemies" he added.

She looked down. Guilt was eating her again. How could she ever betray a brother like Nick? "I'm sorry Nick" she felt like repeating for the thousandth time. "I never intended to hurt you. You know that I respect you the most." She added.

"I know"

She sniffed. "I tried, Nick. I tried to not fall for Damon. I told him over and over again to stay away from me. But he didn't listen." She cried.

Klaus felt sick at Damon's manipulative nature. It was because of him she was so torn.

"He is not how everyone paints him to be, Nick. He is a great man. He taught me to live. He showed me how to love. How could I not fall for him?" she said.

He wasn't listening anymore. He knew that was only a façade. Damon Salvatore was a selfish cruel and inhumane chief of Rippers. He had killed numerous Originals. He had occupied half of Klaus's town. He had given shelter to all Klaus's enemies. That kind of man can never be great. He was filth. A barely two hundred year old vampire.

"After you tell Council your decision. We will go home after this. You'll help me make up with Caroline. We will make Rebekah make us the magic custard we both love so much. We will forget all this" he murmured.

She sniffed. "I'm sorry, Nick. You know that I love you. Right?" she said, her tears falling on his navy blue shirt.

"I love you too…more than Bex and Kol—wait you're not going to tell them , Right? Ok stop it. No more tears" he said stroking her hair. It reminded her of a time, long, long ago.

* * *

 _Even against her brother's wishes eight year old Elena had went out and played in the rain with her friends Matt, Jeremy and Vicki. Isobel didn't care as long as she didn't have to deal with annoying child. When Klaus came back after his meeting and saw her dancing in rain with her friends he was enraged._

 _Hurriedly, he ushered her to his car and took her to his house where he changed her clothes and was about to get her warm milk when she started puking and in no time she had high fever, pain in all the limbs and joints._

" _Bex! Let me do it" Klaus said when Rebekah stopped him from giving Elena his blood to heal her._

" _No, Nick. We can't give her our blood. She is young"_

" _She is in pain"_

" _If she died she will get stuck at this age. We can't risk it" Rebekah knocked some sense into him._

" _Nick" Elena groaned._

" _What? Honey" he said leaning over the fragile eight year old sister._

" _My feet…they hurt" she groaned._

" _Poor girl" he cooed as he bent over and massaged her feet gently with oil. "How do you feel now?"_

" _Not too good" she said as she rose up. The nausea was stronger now._

" _Princess" Rebekah said, alarmed._

 _She clung to the railing of the bed, holding herself up as she vomited once over the king sized bed of her brother. "Oh God" she groaned. "I'm so sorry"_

 _Not a frown came on his face. "it's okay " he said as he picked her up. He always forgave her._

" _I will clean it up later. For now, let's change your dress and take you to hospital" he said. The evil, merciless original didn't feel even a bit disgusted by the weak human girl who was his half sister._

 _Nick and Rebekah changed shifts staying with her in hospital as her guardian._

" _Nicklaus! You're needed at the meeting. Leave Elena with any of the guard" Mikael only came once only to tell Klaus that he was needed at a clan meeting._

" _I'm off duties as long as Honey is here" Klaus had rejected without a second thought._

" _Klaus, Quit the drama. She is a human. Humans get sick. Just leave her with one of the maids" Mikael said irritated._

" _Honey is my responsibility" Klaus said. "Show yourself out" he added after a while._

* * *

The council guards took her back to her mate. A soft smile played on his lips as she walked toward him. He held out his hand to her. She accepted it and walked silently with him to the conference room. The rain pounded hard on the window, echoing through the entire room. It reminded her of another rain.

* * *

" _I am going to drop you" her mate said, playfully._

" _Don't you dare" she screamed. He laughed loud at her reaction._

" _Relax, Baby Vamp" he said with a chuckle._

 _Before going to Mystic Falls to spend the weekend, they decided to go on adventure. Mountain hiking seemed a good idea. They even made a competition out of it. Whoever reached on the top of the mountain without using vampire powers can make the other one do anything for a week._

 _On the way up, she won. (He let her win again). On the way down, she gave up and started complaining that her feet hurt._

" _You're only doing this so I'll carry you" he complained when she demanded he give her a piggy back ride._

" _It's hard to walk in high heels" she complained._

" _Who wears high heels to mountain hiking?" he asked._

" _I do. They make my legs look sexy and long" she replied._

 _After a lot of begging,_ _he settled for giving her a piggyback ride._

" _Are you tired?" she asked, after fifteen minutes._

" _Oh please I can lift five of you without using my vampire strength"_

 _She grinned. " Of course, Mr. I-Am-really-tough-but-I get creeped out of caterpillars."_

" _They are disgusting, especially the huge hairy ones that have mustaches. They bring back bad memories. Every summer the trees near my old house would rain hairy caterpillars. The utter fucking nastiness would fall on me whenever I was reading!"_

" _Huh…If you hate them so much, how do you manage to find the courage to masturbate?" she replied, hiding her grin in the crook of his neck._

" _Haha…smart mouth huh. I have so many other uses for your mouth"_

" _Vile"_

" _Prude" he replied._

" _Vulgar"_

" _One more word and I'll drop you" he threatened playfully._

" _You do that and I'll burn all your precious Persian carpets" she replied._

" _You wouldn't dare" he said, stiffening._

" _That's right…I know your weakness" she replied, smugly._

" _Oh…Really" he said as he carefully let her slide down from him when they reached the car._

" _Yes" she said, her hands around his neck._

 _He stepped toward her playfully as she stepped back. She found herself trapped between him and his car. He bent his head and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She arched her back and kissed him back with as much fervor The rain droplets falling on them._

 _Reaching behind her, he pressed the handle of the door and pushed her inside on the backseat._

 _She moaned, and he moved his lips to her neck, kissing her throat. She lovingly caressed his face and placed numerous kisses on his temple._

 _At that moment, she felt complete in his warm protective arms._

" _I love you, Elena" he chanted over and over again as they undressed._

" _I love you too" she declared._

 _They made love numerous times in the car with the storm raging all around them and rain clattering the roof of the car._

* * *

"Miss Elena Michelson, What is your decision?" Lord Branston snapped her out of her memories.

"You should know that your decision now will decide which clan you belong from this day onwards. The other clan will automatically banish you" he added.

"Elena will choose her family" Klaus said confidently.

Damon looked at her, dreading. Did Klaus manage to change her mind? This was why he didn't want her to go with him.

"Miss Michelson?"

"I…I can't" she murmured. _You will choose your family_. Klaus voice roared in her mind making her unable to think.

"Please, Elena" she heard her mate whisper.

She wanted to say she couldn't but something kept blocking her. She couldn't say it. What was wrong with her?

"Why are you silent Elena?" Damon asked, dreading the answer.

"Tell us your decision girl" Pearl said.

She opened her mouth and closed again. The dread and emptiness in her mate's eyes was scaring her. Then she remembered something prior to the event.

* * *

" _We have important decisions to make regarding the new addition to our family" he added, with a slight smile._

" _Family…" Elena breathed._

 _He nodded. "Family…you, me and…our everything"_

* * *

She respected Nick so much. She loved him crazily. He was her most favorite sibling. She would die for him if he asked. But she couldn't choose him. Her home, her family was someone else now.

 _You're going to choose your family._ Klaus's voice roared in her mind.

The words flew from her mouth before she could control them. She never wanted to make a decision. She never wanted to leave either Nick or Damon but a force made her decide.

"I want to live with my family"

Klaus smirked, getting ahead to get back his sister but froze when she continued "and…my family is my mate and his family" she added. She heard her mate sigh in relief. "You scared me for a minute" he said circling his arm around her.

Lord Branston nodded, scribbling. "Like we decided, the council will support the decision of the girl in question. From now on we will acknowledge Elena Michelson as a member of the Ripper clan. from this day forward, your chief Damon Salvatore, your mate will be responsible for your actions" he declared.

"What? No! NO! I reject this" Klaus stood up enraged. How could the sire bond not work?

"Mr. Michelson" Lord Branston said warily, alarmed by his rage.

"She is a child. She is barely mature. She doesn't understand this. Hand her back to us." Klaus demanded.

"Elena… Get back here this instant" Mikael ordered the quivering girl.

"Originals! The girl made her decision" Lord Augustine said, smugly.

"Well, I am not agreeing to that. Cancel it. I want my clan's vampire back" Klaus seethed.

"I'm afraid that's out of question now…"

Klaus launched himself at Lord Augustine and held him by his collar. "I said order him to leave my sister alone"

"You're disrespecting a council member, you fool" Augustine growled.

"To hell with you and your council" Klaus growled.

"Nick, Leave him" Elena said, worried for her brother. She moved forward to calm him down but Damon held her back. "He is unstable. Stay back" he said holding her tightly.

"Leave me" she said as she pushed him away and rushed to her brother. "What do you think you're doing?" she said holding him back.

"DON'T TOUCH ME" Klaus growled at her.

"Nick"

"No…don't Nick me" Klaus growled.

"Please…" she begged, tears forming in her eyes. "I hate you. I HATE YOU" he shouted.

Elena gasped and cupped her mouth. She had figured that would happen, of course. But somehow hearing him say it out loud left a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. His voice sounded like a stranger's and she felt her heart crack down the center.

"Please! Don't say that Nick" she begged.

"Elena…let's go" her mate said as he held her hand.

"Nick! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to choose. I love both of you equally" she said desperately getting out of her mate's hands and walking toward her brother.

"No! NO! I don't want to even look at you" her brother growled.

She swallowed thick. Never in her life had she thought a day would come when her elder brother would tell her that he hated her.

"You're dead to me" Klaus snickered.

"No" Elena shook her head. "I'm your sister"

She tried to get close to him but he pushed her away slightly.

"Elena—Leave them. We have to go back" her mate said as he tried to hold her.

"My sister died the day she mated with my enemy. I lost her the day she decided that lie to her family for a few nights of passion. I raised you and you repaid me by humiliating me in front of the whole council and for whom? This repulsive filth" he roared. "You can have her, Ripper. If she couldn't be her family's how could she be yours? Pretty soon, she will plunge a dagger in your back too" he added cruelly.

"Please…Please…I'm sorry, Nick" she begged, her body shook with painful sobs.

"You have lost me forever, Elena. You have lost your brothers and your sister." He added. "You chose this termite over me" he growled.

"Stop shouting at her" her mate defended. "Elena! Let's go"

She launched at her brother and circled her arms around his neck. "Don't say that. Please" she begged. He pulled her back harshly, his eyes showering hatred.

"Nick…I didn't have a choice. It was like something came over me—" He cut her off.

"Listen up, you traitor! You can go with him tonight and enjoy while you can but I will never forget this. You have no idea what I have in store for you and your excuse for a mate…"

"Let go of my mate" Damon growled at him yanking her back.

Klaus held her wrist in his iron grip ignoring the seething vampire behind her. "You two better run away from here and hope to God I never find you because when I do I will burn you both alive" he threatened. "I will kill him right before your eyes." She winced.

"and don't forget that I own you. I'm your creator. I will punish you for this treachery, Elena if it's the last thing I'll do" he added.

"I'll show you" Damon said pushing him off her. He vamped out.

The line of the vampires standing behind the Lords surrounded them. "Are you both insane? Nicklaus, Damon, do we need to remind you council rules" Lord Branston roared.

Both seething vampires stared at each other. "Let go of my mate's hand" Damon demanded.

While releasing her Klaus deliberately pressed her wrist and Elena yelped. Klaus's sharp eyes darted to the bandage under Elena's long sleeved shirt.

Damon pulled her back into his embrace, hiding her from Klaus's angry eyes while Klaus stood thunderstruck.

Why was Elena wearing a bandage when she is a vampire? He could smell the slight salty smell of antiseptic. He stood thunderstruck. Her instant healing had stopped working. She looked pale and weak. And she had been crying all day. Not once did she flashed in front of him. She walked the whole time. She didn't use her vampire power even once. He knew what that meant. He had seen all this before when Isobel had turned mortal due to the spell.

The spell had snatched Elena's vampire powers and had made her mortal. And Elena was mortal because was pregnant.

"Let's go, Baby" Damon said as he turned around, supporting his crying mate. "We are going home now" he added to her.

* * *

 **How is Sire Bond still intact if Elena is mortal?**

She is still a blood drinker ergo she is still a vampire but without the advantages of being a vampire e.g her super speed, her healing is gone.

 **Is the story inspired from Forever mine?**

If you're talking about "Forever mine" by Little Miss Vixen Aka Samantha then No, it isn't. Samantha is an incredible writer and Forever mine is one of my most favorite fics in fact it is one of the best I've read but my fic is not even slightly resembling it. As much as I remember it was about past life connection and the concept of twin flames. I'm not disrespecting Sam in anyway. She is one of the best writer on fanfic and I can only wish to write as good as she write. I am her fan myself!

My story have slightly Romeo and Juliet touch thought (I am sure you have figured that out)

 **I love your feedback. Believe me, they brighten my day since I've been clear from the start that I am very insecure when it comes to this fic so please be nice in your comments and reviews.**

 **And yes, I'm aware that this is wrong that Elena have to choose between her family and her mate but this is the story all about. Both clan chiefs Damon and Niklaus does not realize this yet. They are more focused on their animosity and their history then their future. It's wrong. It's absolutely wrong and somewhere along the way both chiefs will soon realize that. Until then enjoy the conflict!**

 **Next chapter:**

 **Klaus knows Elena is pregnant... he plans to take her from Rippers also plans revenge? Council involved?**

 **Elena struggles with her pregnancy**

 **Elena's strange behavior**

 **Alaric suspicious about Elena's bond to her creator**

 **Klaus's threats to Rippers**

 **Do review please...**


	23. To kiss away her pain

(A:N) I understand that there is content in the story that won't be acceptable in normal circumstances. Please note that I have written a warning note on 'Chapter 1' about the content. If you're not comfortable with the content then please don't read it. I understand that there are going to be readers who hate and love my stories passionately and I don't mind constructive criticism. But please no flames

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

* * *

The ride back home was uncomfortably silent for all the Rippers. Elena had stopped crying. She couldn't cry anymore. There were no tears left inside her, but she could feel a piece of her heart breaking again as they passed the junction and the car turned toward the part of Mystic Falls which was going to be her home from now on.

When the car stopped, like a life support she clung to her mate. He helped her out. Delicately, he wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her inside.

"What should we do for Dinner? Takeout or homemade?" he attempted to start a conversation.

"I am not hungry" she replied, offering him a weak smile. "I am tired. I want to sleep." she added, wearily. The agony in her voice twisted his heart. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears, her sadness pulling at him.

He wanted to insist she eat but she really did look exhausted. "Okay" he said. She needed sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. He helped her up the stairs and into the bathroom. He'd wanted her to get right into bed but when she insisted that she needed a warm shower to relax he couldn't deny. She didn't fool him with her excuse. The walls weren't paper thin and he could hear her anguished stifled sobs through them.

His mate was upset. She was crying and it was because of him. He thought. She left her family for him. She chose him like she told him repeatedly that she did. Even though it broke her in the process. What more proof of her loyalty and faithfulness could she give?

The white oak trees…What about that then? Damon's pessimistic side reminded him. It was her family. Obviously she couldn't just let anyone hurt them. You would have done the same. His conscience replied.

 _"See, Honey. He is thinking about the offer. He's only using you for my crown. By remaining silent he revealed his true nature. The filth…even if he ever gets my crown will remain filth. Do you see now what he truly is? He is diminutive—a termite—hungry for power. I bet he doesn't even know how to spell love. And you…you my naïve sister were fighting for him with your own family…"_ he remembered his enemy growl at Elena.

No, Klaus definitely didn't send her. If he did he wouldn't be trying so hard to convince her that he was a wrong choice.

When she came out of washroom (after washing her tear-stained face over and over again so he wouldn't know she was crying) He opened his arms to her and she tucked into him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, providing her support and comfort. This was the most and the least he could do for now.

In the course of their relationship, there had never been a time when there had been complete silence when they were together. One of them always had a story to tell the other one. Mostly it was Damon. He was the chatter box among them too. And she enjoyed it. But today, she didn't feel like talking. She was tired, sad and too hurt.

"Elena" he said, moving her toward the bed and guiding her toward a sitting position.

"He…he doesn't mean it, Baby" he finally broke the silence.

She wondered what he meant.

"Sometimes Older siblings say stupid stuff they don't mean" he added.

"He doesn't hate you. He said it in the rush of the moment" Damon couldn't believe he was defending his worst enemy.

"It doesn't matter. I burned those bridges today." Elena replied, her face scrunching up in pain. "I don't want to talk about him anymore." She said softly but in a final tone. "-about any of them…it's over now"

For a moment, he sat next to her, looking at her in anguish but uncertainty. She was right. Her status as an Original was history. She was a Ripper now. Defending Klaus's statement or actions of her family would not change anything that happened. It wasn't like he could do anything about it. Even if he wanted he couldn't take her pain away.

He shuffled over and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry" he murmured. "for everything" he added.

Silent tears trickled down her cheeks as she remembered everything that happened in the past hour. Not only did her brother declared that he hated her and Klaus didn't want to see her but he also threatened her. He didn't once try to stop her when her mate took her away. He stood their silent.

Sorrow, Pain, desperateness and guilt was what Elena felt right now and he knew that because he could feel that first hand. Her pain wrecked his soul. It flooded his senses. For a moment, he was mad at Klaus for hurting his mate so much. But then he realized that he was also a part of the reason she was so upset. Regret pounded against him in violent waves. He remembered his cruel words to her a night before. He remembered her crying and telling him how sorry she was and how she didn't have any choice.

" _I'm not asking you to forgive me. I don't deserve it. I am just asking you to understand. I was afraid. Terrified of the situation. When I first met you, I never thought that the day would come when I would fall for the Ripper chief. It was supposed to be one lie. I promise you I had no other intention"_ He recalled her saying that.

He locked all blame on his self. He wasn't going to blame anyone for her heartache. His heart contracted at that thought. She will probably resent him for this for the rest of their lives. He thought. He felt disgusted by himself. But then did he have other choice. Originals had attacked her time and time again when she lived Duke. He now knew the reason behind those attacks. And now, that Elena was pregnant. How could he let her go to Originals? Klaus had an agenda with his and Elena's children. He would surely make a monster out of them too.

He let her cry for a moment, feeling his shirt soak up her tears. Maybe he should just let her cry. Be there for her to lean on. Because there was no other choice. He was helpless. The only thing that could remove her pain was to get her family back in her life and that wasn't possible. It was one thing he couldn't give her.

Rippers and Originals had been enemies for centuries. They had a terrible past. Even if he decided to forgive them he was sure his clan never would. And it wasn't like it all depended on him. Klaus hated them all. He thought of them as trash. "Diminutive lowlife trash" he called them all. He would rather die than design a peace treaty with Rippers. Damon suddenly became aware of his thoughts. What was he thinking? There was no way that could ever happen.

Elena's fingers fisted in his shirt. He shifted uncomfortably. Her agony, her pain was too much. He felt utterly helpless. He stroked her hair, softly. "Please don't cry. I can't stand it. Stop it please." he said, wiping her tears with his thumb, unable to sit and watch her suffer alone.

"I never wanted to hurt anyone" she said in between her gut wrenching sobs.

"I know" he replied, cradling her head against his shoulder, pulling her closer.

"Not him. Not you" she added.

He nodded, understandingly.

"I never had other intentions for staying here other than the reason that I love you" she said, looking up hopefully.

"I know" he said, nodding. "I believe you" and how could he not? She proved that she was faithful. She chose him over her family. That was a huge sacrifice. He couldn't even imagine being in her place. Her sacrifice now felt a burden to him.

"You do?" she asked, looking up to him from her wet lashes.

He nodded.

"and the white oak tree forest…I don't remember anything. I know that I did it. But I never meant to do it. It just happened" she added. "I never wanted to harm anyone"

He frowned. "You don't need to worry about it" he said, calmly. "It's just three weeks more. Bonnie can regrow them" he added. He reasoned with himself that the only reason she burned down the white oak forest was because she panicked that he would hurt her clan. He opened his mouth to apologize for everything he did but she yawned. She looked really tired.

He pulled her onto the bed beside him and continued to stroke her hand and arm. She didn't protest. She was too tired to talk anyway. She lowered her head in his chest. At least he wasn't as cold with her as he was in the morning.

Some of his faith in her restored today. But at what cost? He thought. She had to choose between her family and him. He would be lying if he said he wasn't glad that she chose him. But right now, seeing her so defeated and torn, he didn't feel so happy that he had her. His arms tightened around her as he tried to contain his anger and his regret.

Her silent tears still slid down her cheeks. He wiped them from time to time and murmured words of love and support. The moments passed sluggishly and her tears began to slow, her shudders became less intense until she relaxed, exhausted. He had an overwhelming urge to lift her face and kiss her until she couldn't remember anything that happened today but he resisted because it was too soon.

His mate was hurt and sad. She needed rest and time. He murmured soft words to her until her breathe slowed down. He promised her that no matter what he would be there for her. He comforted her that things would get better.

Elena stayed locked in her mate's arms for the rest of the night, finally finding some peace.

* * *

"It's a super natural pregnancy" Alaric said. "Of course…this is different." He added. But vampires weren't supposed to get ill were they? Damon thought.

Elena had woken up early in morning with severe headache, flushed face, and dry throat; and has not since been able to even sit up. He had freaked out. Obviously, since she was a vampire. She wasn't supposed to get ill.

He had summoned Bonnie and her witches to figure out whatever was wrong with his mate, immediately.

"She is mortal. She doesn't have vampire healing and strength anymore." Bonnie explained to him. "She has been through a lot since yesterday. This is probably from stress and pregnancy" she added. "We will need to call a doctor for her proper treatment"

"A human doctor?" Enzo asked, incredulously.

"Aha…No… Lucy will do. She is a doctor and a witch. She will be able to treat her properly" Alaric said, shaking his head. "that is if chief allows her to treat his mate?"

"Fine! Call her. Elena is feeling miserable. Tell Lucy she is needed now" Damon ordered.

* * *

"She will be here in a while" Damon murmured, holding his mate's hand.

Elena groaned in pain. Something was very wrong with her. All type of food sat on the bedside table but she felt nauseous even looking at it. She had not even fed on blood until an hour ago when her mate had insisted she take a sip or two from him. The warm blood felt good but it didn't heal her. Blood only served its purpose to keep her alive.

Elena closed her eyes. It's been awhile she had been ill. Almost five years. The last time she fell ill, her siblings had immediately took her to hospital. Their blood could heal her but they preferred human treatments for her. She missed their care and their presence.

Her mate's cold lips on her hand snapped her out of her trance. She felt guilty even thinking about them. She had made her decision she shouldn't think about them. It was the first day of her eternity after getting banished by her clan and she already missed them. How was she supposed to live the rest of her eternity without them? She thought. A gasp escaped her lips when a sharp pain cut through her stomach.

"Baby" her mate said, alarmed, jumping to her side. "I am alright" she said, opening her eyes again. He knelt, looked anxiously into her eyes as if her pain was breaching into him. "You're going to be fine. I promise you" he promised. His hand reached down, fingertips brushing her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

Bracing his hands on either side of her head, he bent down and brushed his lips on her plush lips lightly—and yet it managed sent down shivers to both of their souls.

There was a light knock on the door, separating them. He sat up, straight and fixed her sheets. "Yes" he allowed them to enter their chamber. Dr. Lucy along with Bonnie, a couple of witches, Alaric and Enzo entered.

"So, this is the Ripper queen" she greeted, a smirk on her face. "Good Morning Chief"

He nodded, acknowledging her.

"So Rick here told me the details about her supernatural pregnancy" she added, coming toward her. "I must say I was surprised."

"Didn't dad tell you about it?" Bonnie asked.

"Oh he did. But this is such an unusual thing. One must see it with their eyes to believe it" she replied. "Then again…she is also part Original. That lowlife Klaus Michelson always wanted to get his dirty paws on magic" she added with disgust and Elena winced.

"Lucy!" Elena's mate roared. Wasn't it bad enough that she left them now they were refreshing her wounds too. "How dare you talk to my mate like that?" he asked with authority in his voice.

"I didn't mean to disrespect…"

"You did disrespect my mate ergo you disrespected me" he said coldly.

"No, Chief. It was unintentional" she replied.

"Damon, It's okay" Elena said holding his hand.

"I summoned you here so you could examine my mate. We don't need your comments on the matter." He added.

"Certainly" she replied, obediently.

"Dear, how do you feel? Nauseous? Tired?" she asked. "We would need some privacy so I can examine her" she added.

All the Rippers with exception of Elena's mate left the room. After any common usual medical check up, Lucy asked them several question.

"Nausea is usual in pregnancy. For the next few weeks you'll experience morning sickness."

"but what about the pain in limbs?" Damon asked. "surely that's not normal." For him it was not normal. He had been a vampire for too long. He didn't remember being human much. He had forgotten how weak mortal's immune system was. Her weak state paranoid him.

"It's from severe stress and exhaustion" Lucy replied. "Miss Michelson needs to stay calm and as relaxed as possible. Stress can be harmful to both her and the baby" she added.

Of course, stress. She had been through a lot the last few days. Her weak mortal body can only tolerate so much pain. He bent down, holding her hand."The baby is fine right now? Right?" he asked, concerned.

"Looks like it" Lucy replied, after murmuring a spell under breath. "Will it be human?" elena asked, weakly.

"I can't say for sure. We haven't seen anything like this before. Vampire pregnancies are more than rare." She added. "We will need an ultrasound check up for that"

"Can you set up a one?" Damon asked.

"I can but she will need to be more further along for us to see anything" Lucy answered.

"How far along?" Damon asked, impatiently.

"Maybe two months" Lucy replied. "There is another way. We can hear its heartbeat with Doppler after three weeks." She added.

"Bonnie says the baby's magic is veiling its heartbeat" Damon reminded her.

"Yes, the shield is strong but we can put it down easily" Lucy replied.

"It won't be dangerous for Elena. Right?" he asked, wrapping an arm protectively around her. She snuggled closer, smiling softly.

"No. As long as she feeds properly she will be fine" Lucy replied. "Her illness has nothing to do with the baby's magic. It's purely because of her pregnancy and stress. She feels it more because her body is not accustomed to handle pain well. Vampire perks spoiled her"

"How do we make her feel better?" Damon asked, impatiently. He didn't need reason why. He needed a solution.

"Good food, exercise, relaxation" Lucy listed. "and blood" she added.

* * *

"Are you sure Klaus? Are you sure she is pregnant?" Mikael asked, for the first time worried.

"Her hand was bandaged" Klaus answered. "Her vampire strength is fading. Her vampire healing is not working. That could only mean one thing. She is mortal" he added, silently. He was still shaken by his sister's betrayal. It hurt him deeply. Mikael had scolded him on allowing feelings get in the way. He had ordered him to turn cold to her just like she did to him. Hiding the hurt and betrayal, Klaus was now focusing on the plan.

"The Rippers must know about this" Mikael said, horrified.

"I found the spell details in Alaric's books when we went over to kill his witch wife" Klaus said. "Of course he knows"

"Then why didn't they tell the council. This was the perfect chance for them to destroy us all."

"Because he wants the child's power all to himself" Klaus replied, seething. Hurt and deceived by his own wife and sister. He was a broken man today. All the clan mocked him for his weak hold on his own siblings. If he couldn't discipline his own family members how could he manage the clan. However he assured them that the Rippers will suffer big time for insulting them in the council.

He still seethed as he remembered Augustine scoff when Elena left with Damon. She had dishonored him. Elena was a living sin. His sin. He had given the girl all his love and this is how she repaid him. Years ago, when he confornted Rebekah and asked her to choose between him and Stefan, she had chosen him. But Elena chose Damon. He was never going to forgive her for that. He would make sure she suffers.

"We can't let that happen. They will kill us all" Mikael said.

"I know"

"What we do now? Klaus. Our work of centuries will go to waste." Mikael said as he fell on the arm chair.

"We have to get her back" Klaus said, determined. " but how? The Rippers will move heaven and earth to protect her. We can't get to her" he said more to himself then his father.

"No, Klaus. The Rippers will protect her only as long as her mate is alive" Mikael said, his mind working out a scheme. "I could see it in their eyes yesterday. They don't approve of Elena. They are only silent because Elena is their chief's mate."

Klaus looked at him, puzzled.

"We have to kill Damon" Mikael said, determined. "Regardless of the treaty"

"If they know Elena's with his heir they would still protect her"

"Then we will make Elena do it. They will be out for her blood. She will come to us to protect her. Rippers will war against us but what's a war when you have all the magic and power on our side" Mikael said.

"But how? How do we do that? I can only use my power on her if I say it directly to her"

"You'll do it Klaus. I will request for the council to allow us a small meeting with my beloved daughter. You will be given more than enough time to give her a clear order to kill her own mate. And for god sake choose your words carefully this time" Mikael said.

Klaus nodded. The plan was set. He would be killing two birds with one stone. This would be his revenge from the Ripper for turning his own blood against him and his first step to destroy Rippers and all the clans that had allied with Rippers. This will also be Elena's punishment for choosing her mate over him. His poor sister would have to live with the fact that she killed her own mate. She will suffer for her choices. A smile formed as he realized that soon he would be the most powerful among the vampire world again.

* * *

Elena went back to Duke for her college on Damon's continuous insistence. _You need some normal elements in your life_. He had reasoned with her and he was right. All the supernatural drama had both physically and emotionally drained her. However he didn't send her unprotected. Bonnie and Enzo came with her.

The first week had been hard. But her mate had been on her side, through it all. They even talked about her past as an Original and why she didn't tell him everything sooner.

On Saturday, after Damon was training with his vampires, she walked toward the forest and to the clock tower they had first met. She wanted to be alone.

Damon was training his vampires harder than ever. By taking his sister from Klaus, he had now personally offended Klaus. He was expecting to be attacked any minute. Unintentionally his eyes searched for his mate. She was nowhere on the practice ground. He panicked. He searched his connection to her and found her thoughts to be calm. She was okay. He sighed in relief.

"Bon! Where is Elena?" he demanded, his best friend.

"She was just—" Bonnie looked around.

"Keep an eye on things here. I will go look for her" he said and rushed toward the forest.

Her scent led him to the clock tower. She was sitting on the bottom on stairs, eyes closed. He sighed in relief. Not that anyone would harm her under his watch but he still liked her within his eyeshot. It kept him calm. Their relationship was not exactly back to normal but they were on their way. He had never stopped loving her but what changed was that he trusted her now like he used too.

"Hey" he greeted her bringing her out of her thoughts.

"You found me" she said, smiling.

"Don't I always" he replied. "Are you okay?" he asked. After a week of seeing her ill and weak he was over protective when it came to his mate and his baby. He was always paranoid that they weren't safe enough. His everything was his mate and the little life that was growing inside her. The life he and his mate created.

"I am fine" she reassured him. He walked toward her and sat next to her, looking around. Reminiscing the first time they met. It was purely accidental. She was running away from the cruel vampires (that's what her family told her) and one of the vampire happened to be her future mate and the father of her child.

Her eyes drifted to her mate. He too like her was reminiscing their first meeting. "I can carry you to top" he offered, with a soft smile playing on lips. "No…it's oo.." her words died in her mouth when he picked her up and used his vampire strength to get on top. "What is the matter with you?" Elena shouted, breathing harshly from the shock.

"Need I remind you that I don't have a strong vampire heart anymore" she said ,putting her hand to her chest, silently feeling her heart thud through her shirt.

He laughed at her shocked expressions. "Oh my god!" she shouted as she looked down from the tower. "This is too high" she exclaimed, holding his arm tightly. She remembered that as a human she had a strong fear of heights.

"If I fall I will die" she screeched. "And you really think I will let anything happen to you" he replied.

She stopped thinking about that for a moment. Then she relaxed. She knew nothing could touch her as long her mate was with her. Once upon a time, they had watched a sunrise together and it was beautiful. Today, they sat and talked about her college while watching how the sun descended in the sky.

The clouds started to roll in and the sky begin to darken while the light breeze kicked up leaves. She shivered. Vampire perks were gone now. She shivered, covering her bare arms. He took his jacket off and covered her with it. Picking Elena up as if she were a feather, he settled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, encasing her with his warmth, resting his chin on her shoulder. "My Ripper warrior" she said kissing his cheek and he let out a chuckle.

A silent moment passed. "You think this will work" he asked her after a while.

"What?"

"Your brother said we don't stand a chance" he said.

"and what does he knows about us?" Elena answered, strongly. "Nick doesn't understand" she added, sadly.

"You're right" he said, confident again. She was right, Nicklaus didn't knew anything about them. He thought that Damon was only with her for power. He wasn't. He had loved her without even knowing her, truly. He felt something in Elena's emotions. She was sad. Upset again. She missed them. He didn't like that. A part of him was insecure she would go back to them and leave him and a part of him was jealous, he wanted all her affection but mostly it was the guilt.

What would he do if he was asked to choose between Elena and Stefan? He knew he would rather die. He had turned into a vampire just for Stefan. He loved his brother. And shamelessly he would admit that he preferred getting staked then choosing between Stefan and Elena—and she—she was so brave. He thought. She chose him. To him, she was a goddess. He envied her courage.

He realized that he was the one standing in the way of his mate's happiness. It was due to him that her brothers hated her now. (secretly he hoped Rebekah wouldn't) But he was helpless. There was no way he could ever make peace with ruthless merciless Originals. He just couldn't.

"I am so sorry" he said, sighing.

"For what?"

"Sorry that you have to miss them"

She sighed. "Damon…let's not go there again"

"No, we have to talk about this" he insisted, releasing her from his arms and sitting next to her. "If we want to move on we have to talk about this"

"Fine…" she said, her eyes reflecting vulnerability again.

"Do you miss them?" he asked. "and don't you dare lie to me" he warned.

She nodded, almost ashamed. "Talk about it to me. Don't hold it back. Do you resent me for it?" he asked. He looked desperate as he spoke. There was a heart wrenching vulnerability about him, she realized. He was afraid that she would resent him for making her choose.

"Of course not. I don't. We didn't have any other choice." She said, cupping his face. "Yes, I miss them. I miss them a lot. They are—were my family. But now you're my world" she said, softly. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she leaned in to press a long, full kiss to his lips before pulling back just enough to whisper "I love you"

"I love you too" he said against her mouth. Their lips brushed against each other—velvet like soft, there was something more intimate about that but the more their mouths brushed together, the more passionate the kiss became. Elena curled an arm around him to bring him closer.

They had always just wanted each other no matter the repercussions or the risk cause they were both so utterly in love with each other. Borders, differences and choices never mattered.

They pulled away reluctantly. Tentatively, she laid her head on his shoulder, holding his hand. "You wanna talk about them?" he asked. Don't hold it all in, Elena. He thought.

She nodded. "Maybe I need a friend"

"I can be your friend. Just not the blonde one. Think of me as a friend you met after a long time"

A soft smile played on her lips. "Really?"

"Just play along, Elena" he said. "Hi, I am…"

"Matt" she said.

"Yes, Matt…wait…Wasn't Matt your ex-boyfriend?" he said, a brow raised.

"I thought you wanted to make me feel better"

"Fine! Hi! I am Matt. How is life? Elena"

She chuckles. "Hi Matt! Oh nothing!I am pregnant with a vampire's baby. My baby is supernatural too—and yes—I am in love with a man who is nothing like you predicted once. Unlike you said, he is not bookish and broody at all in fact he is most fun, passionate and very caring"

"That's wonderful… but you don't look so happy" Damon said, sadly. Her tone didn't fool him. He could read her like a book.

"My family abandoned me, Matt. They abandoned me because I fell in love with someone they don't approve off and the love of my life feels guilty because he thinks he separated me from my family"

"You miss them?" he said again in pained expression.

"Of course, I do. I love them. I am sad and upset because I miss them too much but it doesn't matter"

"Doesn't" he asked, curious.

"Yes… I can't live without Damon. He is my world. When we gain something of great value—we lose something too…we have to let something go" Her eyes filled with tears again.

"Letting something go…that hurts... letting something go hurts" he said pressing the hand he was holding.

She casted her eyes down, she didn't want to make him feel more guilty. "It's not like I meant for everything to happen. I had to make a choice I knew that the day I realized that I was in love with him—" she stopped stifling a sob, remembering her family.

Damon's eyes studied her expressions. A pained expression manifested itself on his face and Elena thought she might have seen him wince. "I miss them a lot but Damon and my baby is my family now. I had to choose my family. I know they are mad and hurt. Nick even said that he hates me but… I can't leave Damon ever. I just can't."

Guilt was eating him now. "If he had the power he would get them back in your life but" he trailed off. He had never felt more helpless in his life.

"I know. There is too much history. He already forgave me for all my lies. I am not asking for anything more. He is a great man but he has a town to look after too. He has three clans depending on him. He has his family to look after too. I understand and I'm proud of him"

"You're incredible" he said pressing her palm to his lips. "I love you so much" his words were barely a whisper now.

"I don't think he will appreciate that, Matt. See, he is very possessive of me" she said with a mischievous teary grin.

"That he is" he replied, pressing her palms to his lips.

"Now can you go? I want my mate back" she said, playfully.

Brushing a hand across her cheek,he bent and captured her lips in a soft kiss. Sensing reeling, she replied almost immediately. She angled his head to get a better access, not realizing they were sitting on the edge of a tower she nearly slipped, if he had not been holding her. She parted with a gasp.

"Easy there, Baby Vamp. You're a mortal now." He reminded her. His hand remained on her flat stomach.

"Our baby would be doing back flips by the time you're ready to shoot him out of you" he grinned.

"You're happy about that?"

"About what?"

"The baby"

"Of course…I am going to be a father after 170 years… I have never thought about children I'll admit but as a mortal the prospect of fatherhood attracted me. Responsibility and commitment had never been my problem. I am actually very excited about this. I am very happy" he said, his face glowing with childish happiness.

She rested her head on his shoulder again. "What do you think it would be?"

"A boy…" he said with a sigh "We, Salvatores always get boys. My father told me this was a curse a witch casted on our family long time ago."

He looked at her, curious. "what do you want?"

"A ripper prince" she said, smiling.

"Hmm…I want a girl" he replied.

"A girl?" Elena replied, frowning.

"Yes, I want another pair of those chocolatey sparklers around" he said. He loved her eyes. He wished his child would inherit them. He had an obsession with her warm brown eyes.

"If we are having a girl then genes are setting on your eyes and my hair." She said. "why your hair? Why not mine?" he asked. This reminded him of their pointless arguments before everything wrecked them. "Because my hair are better" she replied. "Excuse me. Miss Hundred hair products, my hair are way better" he replied, feigning hurt.

"Is not" she spat. "Is so" he replied childishly. She pushed him toward the edge playfully. "Hey…If I fall you fall" he reminded her. "We are built like that" he added. She smiled, pulling him back toward her.

They were mates. His pain was her pain and vice versa. If anything happened to one of them the other would not be able to survive it. The pain of losing your mate was unbearable. Mostly vampires staked themselves if they lost their partners. Your mate was your peace. Losing your mate meant losing peace. A peace deprived, restless vampire was destruction in itself.

"I am sorry I made you choose" he said after a moment of silence.

"You're saying that again, Damon. It…"

"It matters Elena. I feel your pain first hand. I know how miserable you are" he said, his voice seeping in desperation. "It matters because it would have mattered to me. God, how can you even stand the sight of me Elena? I made you choose between me and your family. I'm the reason why you're in so much pain"

"No…Damon" she tried to speak but he didn't let her.

"I am putting you through this" he said as he covered his face with his hands."and it hurts me that they hate you because of me. His eyes were red and glassy with unshed tears. "It hurts me that you can't share it with me…you don't trust me enough"

"How can you say that?" she said cupping his face, surprised by his outburst. He had locked all blame on himself for her sadness. "I trust you completely" she added. "I made my choice and I am not regretting it"

"Go back to them" he immediately said.

"What?"

"I can't make peace with Originals but I love you enough to let you go" he added.

"I will drop you to the border myself" he said, determined. "You're miserable here. I can't snatch you from your family. You should go to them. You will be happy there" he said, getting up. "Klaus will accept you. I am sure of that"

"No. No. I am not going anywhere. I chose you. I want to stay with you"

"That's what you keep telling me" he shouted. "but I hear you crying in shower. Your heart still races when you hear his name" he added. "I can't see you suffering like this. I can't stand it. Go back to them."

"No"

"I won't hate you, Elena. I am letting you go myself and if you're afraid that this just a scheme against your family than as a chief of Rippers I promise you that we will not launch war on Originals"

"I AM NOT GOING" she shouted. "You're my FAMILY. I want to stay with you. This is my choice and you can't take that away from me" she added.

"You're not happy with me, Elena. Oh God! If only I stayed away when you told me to, if only I listened. None of this would have happened"

"You regret me" she said in a broken too. "No! Of course not. You're the best thing that happened to me. I regret giving you this pain. I'm supposed to give you all the happiness like I promised myself but instead I'm the one standing in its way" he growled.

"I'm happy" she said. "I am happy with you…I feel safe with you, I love you"

"No, you don't. You don't feel safe with me. You said in the council that you thought I would kill you if I found out about you."

"It was a different situation" she reasoned.

"No, Elena, you felt that…how can you even think like that?" he said, furious now. "It settled. You're going back to your family. I'll handle the Rippers here. You don't have to worry about me" he said in a resigned tone.

"You're being crazy" she said, annoyed.

"I am crazy—madly in love with you"

"so am I and I refuse to leave you"

"Elena, please"

"NO" she said immediately.

His fangs spurt out from his gums. His anger was clouding his senses. He felt his inner demon taking over him. She didn't get scared; instead she walked bravely toward him and curled her arms around him.

He let his fangs go back up and locked his arms around her waist. He wiped his tears in her hair, she felt so good, so warm. "I am not going anywhere. I am going to stay with you. I admitted in front of them and I will say it again. You're my world now. It's going to be you, me and our everything" she said, pulling back, guiding their hands to her flat stomach. He caressed at lightly and lovingly.

"but..."

"One more word and I'll slap you" she warned in her usual nag tone.

He looked down, still unsure. "Are you sure about this? You have a choice, Elena."

"Yes"

"I promise you, Elena. I will not make you regret this. I promise you that I'll love you more than before; I'll care for you more and I'll just do anything to make you happy—"

"You already do" she said, smiling.

They sat on the clock tower, talking discussing about future. She talked to her heart content (just like the time when he didn't knew about her reality) while he watched her hair and her creamy skin glow in the moonlight. His eyes gleamed with admiration and love for her. She reminded him of a beautiful fairytale.

Elena laid her head on her mate's shoulder, feeling sleepy. He provided her with peace she had always looked for. His arms provided her with safety no one else ever did. The love she felt for the man next to her was incomparable.

"Sleepy?"

"Aha"

"Let's take you home" he said as he picked her up in his arms.

* * *

Caroline's relationship with Klaus wasn't broken. She thought he would want her to leave but instead he wanted her to stay more than ever. The night, Elena had chosen her mate over him was the night he had been completely broken and vulnerable. So she stayed with him. Because that was the right thing to do. He needed her and she was going to be there for him.

Original clan were more than mad at her. Isobel didn't let her forget that it was her fault Elena was gone. Kol had ordered everyone to take off all pictures of Elena from all of Originals household and never talk of that traitor again. In among everyone, it was Rebekah who looked broken the most. She was like a mother figure to her younger sister. Elena's betrayal had truly wrecked her. She tried to talk Klaus into request for another meeting with Elena and her mate.

"I can convince her to rethink about her decision" Rebekah insisted. "I told you to take me too with you but you made me stay here and now you've left our girl with the Ripper" she fumed.

"She is not ours anymore, Bex. She chose him. She insulted us in council and she said she wants to stay with her family and her family is her mate. She chose our enemy over us. She is not one of us anymore, Bex. She is our enemy now" Kol replied harshly to his sister.

"We…We can change that. I'll convince her. Elena—" Rebekah said, breaking in painful sobs.

"Don't! Don't ever say her name again. Nick said she is dead to us and I believe that too. I don't ever want to talk about her, to look at her or even recognize her as my sister. From now only you're my sister." He said loud and left.

Caroline could still feel the aftershocks of that night. Her mate had not only lost his sister but his honor as a chief too. Klaus had stayed silent throughout that entire week. There was something suspicious about that. His long meetings with Smiths and Mikael, his continuous visits to the Vampire Council and the most high members of Council like Respected Lady Pearl and Lord Hummel visiting Klaus regularlythroughout the week made Caroline jump to the conclusion that Klaus had not given up on his sister and was scheming to bring her back. She confronted him about it.

Kissing his temple lightly, she wrapped her arms around him. "Why did Lady Pearl came yesterday?" she asked.

"Clan Business" Klaus replied.

"You know that I know when you're lying" she said, pouting.

"Wish I could say the same about you" he mumbled so low that he knew for sure she didn't hear.

"Are…are you planning to bring Honey back?" she asked, mustering all her courage.

He flinched at her name. Even her nick name was taboo now. He pretended he didn't hear her and walked over to the counter to fill himself a glass of blood. "Do you want a glass?" he asked his wife.

"Nic...Love, I asked you something" she said softly.

"I choose not to reply, Love" he replied. "That should have been enough sign that I don't want to talk on this matter" he said very softly.

"We are mates, Right?" she said standing up. "We are supposed to share" she reminded him.

"Oh, Really?" he said, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "That's why you hid the life turning truth from me for four months" he hissed. She flinched at his tone. "Sometimes…I think you'll never forgive me for that" she said, trying her best not to cry.

"It's not that easy to forgive and forget" Klaus replied.

"Fine" Caroline got up. "then I'm going. I am not going to bother you with my presence ever again" she rose.

He held her wrist. "Please don't. I need you Care. I need you, Love. Please… I'm going through a very tough time. I'm sorry that I shouted at you…but I'm very stressed. We are in danger and I have to keep my family safe at all cost. I'm just very stressed" he said as he hugged her.

Caroline felt guilty. He had just lost his sister. He was on verge of war with his enemy that also happened to be his sister's mate. Of course, he was upset. She hugged him back and murmured apologies.

"Please don't ever leave me Caroline" he pleaded. "I have already lost a part of my family. I don't think I can tolerate the pain of losing you too"

"I won't. I promise" she replied.

* * *

Elena smiled looking at the flowers she received from her mate. It was like he had made it his personal mission that there was always going to be a smile on her face. The pain of losing her family was still there but he was trying his best to cover the void losing her family had made in her heart.

It started with gestures like sending her flowers to her apartment in Duke to giving her surprise visits, to the dinner dates he planned for them. Like he promised, they were moving on with their lives. The pregnancy had been hard on her initially with morning sickness and weakness but within a week her body grew more accustomed to the changes.

The idea that she was going to have a child with the love of her life still seemed surreal. All the pain, all the sadness was worth it. Both she and her mate loved the precious baby growing inside her. She knew with every bone in her body that she loved it and so did her mate.

After a hot session of love making and then a regular check up by Dr. Lucy, her mate left for a meeting with the werewolf clan chief but not before telling her there was a surprise for her on the dining table. Her favorite flowers welcomed her.

The Rippers with exception of Bonnie and Alaric acted normal around her. They were all still very afraid of her. She was an ex original. It was their trust in their chief's decision that they let her stay.

She had her Jules talk about how the clan was strictly against her but Damon had defended her. He had told everyone that her loyalty was to him and only him. He told them that anyone who was against her would have to face him. He had assured them their safety but had let them know strictly that she wasn't going anywhere.

Surprisingly Stefan too was nice to her now. He had even asked her about her health and had assured her that he would be there for her if she ever needed him. She figured it was due to the baby.

"Elena" Alaric's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Did you have breakfast? Damon had told me to check up on you?" Alaric said.

"No… I was going to" she said sheepishly.

"You shouldn't be careless, Elena" Alaric said as he led her to dining table. "A healthy diet is very vital in pregnancy" he added. "My wife Jo and I always wanted children" he said as he was serving her breakfast.

"but we couldn't because I was a vampire" he added.

"She was a human?" Elena asked.

"A witch" Alaric corrected. "We had decided that she would live her human life with me and… and when she dies…I will follow her too"

Elena recalled Damon telling her that Rick's mate died by the hands of her brother. She immediately felt ashamed.

"I am sorry" she murmured, uncomfortably.

His eyes drifted to hers, understandingly. "I am sorry about you too" Alaric said. "I can't imagine what you're going through. I wish it had not come down to that, Elena. Your sacrifice means a lot to us, Rippers"

She looked down, uncertainly. It still hurt. The void hurt and Damon wasn't here to fix it with his soothing touch and his loving words. She almost gasped to breathe.

"Honestly, I didn't want to choose" she said. "Don't get me wrong. I love Damon. I love him more than my life. But I love my…my family too. Especially Nick. He…he is like a father to me. As a child, I always looked upto him. He was my hero" she said, her butterfly lashes fluttering to restrain her tears.

"but it was like something took over me" she said, puzzled. " A force… it kept telling me that I have to choose my family"

"A force…What sort of force?" Rick asked, suddenly interested.

"My brother's voice kept ringing in my ears…" Elena said in a daze.

"Elena, Sweetheart. Did that ever happen to you before?" he asked, alarmed. He had a guess what Elena was talking about.

Elena looked up at him, confused. She shook her head. "Think about it, sweetheart. How did it feel? Was it some maddening pull? Did you feel like you have to obey at any cost? Did you feel like you lost control on your body?" he asked.

Elena frowned. A lot of things that Alaric, was describing was true. This also reminded her of a certain night. She nodded. "There was a strange force that kept telling me that I had to do it" she said. "It also happened on the night…I…I burned down the white oak forest. I wasn't in control of myself. It just happened" Elena said desperately. "I know you won't believe me Damon says it was my psychological reacti—"

"I do believe you" Alaric breathed. He knew what this was. The girl was more dangerous than he or Damon could ever think of and the sad part was she, herself, didn't know the power her brother had on her.

"You do?"

Alaric nodded. "Your brother—Nicklaus—he is your creator right? He turned you?"

"Yes" Elena nodded.

Alaric chuckled. This was getting complicated with every second. The girl, Elena, Damon's mate was sired to Klaus. Wait till Damon finds out. He thought. He would be furious at Klaus.

The door busted open harshly, a very stressed Damon entering with Bonnie and Mason following him. "The nerve of that guy—threatening me" he muttered.

"Everything okay?" Elena said, alarmed.

"What happened?" Alaric asked.

"It's them" Damon said. "The Originals. Elena's father and her brothers had demanded a meeting with her" Damon informed Alaric but was looking at Elena.

* * *

I know it's short but the next chapter would be very interesting full of lots of drama and twist. I have even written half of it. I will probably post it by Tuesday.

I hope you enjoyed. This chapter was needed for a very important turn of the story.

 **Next chapter**

Elena continues to miss her family

Damon arranges a secret meeting with Rebekah

Klaus finds out…thinks it's the best opportunity to kill Damon for good!

Mikael and Klaus take action on their plan

* * *

 **Thank you for your lovely reviews. They are what keep the story alive! I hope you're still enjoying this story. Please review and comment!**

 **They are love 3**

 **So continue?**


	24. Love is illogical, Love is blind

**Chapter 23**

* * *

 **Italics are past parts**

* * *

"I'm afraid that can't happen" Alaric said immediately.

"It's…It's your choice" Damon declared looking at his mate.

"No. It's not. Our females are not supposed to meet Original vampires. That is a rule" Mason reminded him, crossing his arms on his chest. He wasn't too fond of the ex-original vampire. And why would he? The girl's brother tried to kill his race off.

"Elena is related to Original brothers and already mated to me. There is no danger if she decides to meet them" Damon said as if his reason didn't matter. He knew he was being biased by giving his mate favor's and he felt guilty.

"She is one of Rippers now, Damon" Alaric said. "and rules are for everyone. Being your mate doesn't give her the privilege of breaking rules and as a chief you're supposed to enforce rules not encourage people to break them. That is your duty as a chief to your clan"

"and what about my duties to my mate? She already left them for me. If she wants to meet them then I'm not stopping her" Damon declared. It's not like meeting them once would do any harm." He still felt immensely remorse for the fact that he was the reason she had left her family. Her sacrifice meant the world to him.

"I am not okay with this chief" Mason said, frowning. "You will be putting our clan's safety in jeopardy" he added.

"Mason I assure you that I will be with her the whole time" Damon reassured him.

"I don't want to meet them" Elena finally said.

"What?" her mate looked at her, puzzled. He thought she would love the chance. She was good at hiding that she was getting over her family but she couldn't hide it from him how much she missed them.

Last night, she was dreaming about them. It seemed like a memory. Rebekah was getting married and Elena was looking at her, awestruck, asking his worst enemy Klaus if he would give her away to her husband like Mikael was giving away Rebekah. She had woken up with tears in her eyes. She had lied to him that it was her pregnancy hormones working her up. But she was unaware that her vulnerable state had opened her thoughts like a book to him.

So when Lord Hummel's message arrived "requesting" him to kindly allow his clan's vampire Elena to meet her family he had secretly decided to allow her even though he knew none of his clan members would agree.

"she said she doesn't want to meet them" Mason said.

"Yes but"

Elena looked down, concentrating on a spot on the marble floor as if trying to keep tears at bay.

"Are you sure? Baby" her mate asked.

Reluctantly, very reluctantly she nodded. She didn't want to create more problems for her mate. Of course, she wanted to meet her father and her brothers. Maybe, they had decided to forgive her. Maybe they felt guilty for declaring her banished.

But what good would that do? They would never accept her mate or her child. There was no point in meeting them and torture herself about what life could have been if Rippers and Originals weren't sworn enemies.

"There! Problem solved" Mason said, relaxed. Her mate glared at the werewolf chief. "It's probably a good decision. Wolves are already uncomfortable that you're mated to an Original girl. Her meeting them again and again will not set well with my wolves" he added.

Damon bit the inside of his cheek and cocked his head to one side, restraining himself from shouting at the wolf chief. "If you're done talking, Mason. I suggest you leave. It's a full moon night. Your wolves would require your assistance in turning" Bonnie said as if sensing his bad mood.

He nodded, frowning. "Will Enzo be at the border, tonight?" he asked. "No! He is out to collect information by Alaric. Stefan would be on guard duty tonight" she replied.

"Fine! I will coordinate with him and appoint Tyler with him to guard the border tonight" Mason informed, making a few formal arrangements with Bonnie regarding Border security. These days boundaries were strictly guarded. They expected to be attacked anytime. After formal greetings he left, leaving Bonnie, Damon, Elena and Alaric in the dining room.

"I…I have an assignment to finish" Elena made an excuse and left for their room. Although she was a part of Rippers now, she still kept out of their schemes. She may have left her family but she was not going to scheme against them. Damon never pressured her to join clan politics. He understood her need to stay away.

"Any news from Enzo regarding _him_?" Damon asked Bonnie. She shook her head, sadly.

Dr. Lucy was completely clueless about the child growing inside Elena. Bennetts were strong witch clan but they had never seen anything like this.

Oldest of them all, Wise Alaric had a made a suggestion. They needed an old witch or a warlock to get every detail about the supernatural baby of Ripper chief Damon and his mate Elena. Only one name came to his mind. Alaric's wife belonged from Gemini Coven. A very powerful group of witches that were burned alive by Klaus Michelson. Alaric's wife had a brother. He was one of the few warlocks who survived Klaus's attack centuries back.

Kai Parker

He was a powerful warlock. So powerful that by a spell he had slow down his aging process. He was three centuries old and he only looked thirty five. But he had been on run all his life. He was absolutely terrified of Klaus.

Since Kai was an old warlock. A very old warlock therefore Alaric thought he must know about the supernatural child of a vampire and a girl with Petrova blood in her. But the last time Alaric saw Kai was a century ago in Spain. He had no clue where Kai could be.

Damon had sent Enzo to find Kai. So far, Enzo had been unsuccessful in finding the warlock.

He shook his head and his forehead furrowed. His jaw was tight and he appeared hopeless. "Nothing is going as we planned" he said, slamming his fist on the table.

"Calm down" Bonnie said as she poured water in a glass and offered him. "We are doing the best we can"

"It's just a bad time. Nature is giving us hell but we will get through this. We have suffered hell a lot before" she added, comforting her best friend.

"No kidding" he huffed. Two weeks ago, he found out that his mate, his Elena is his worst enemy's sister. On the same night he found out his mate was pregnant with his supernatural baby. Great! He was happy! He was ecstatic! But then the bloody council appeared on his doorstep and demanded him to hand over his mate.

Thankfully (and to his great relief) his mate chose him instead of her family. But that gained him more hatred from Klaus. Klaus was personally offended and he had threatened Elena in front of the whole council that Klaus would kill him in cold blood. He was expecting to be attacked any second. Any minute. He had to keep his family safe. They all depended on him.

He was just recovering from the shock of almost losing his mate, Elena fell seriously sick because of stress. Just when she started to feel better Elena's conscience started showing him what she secretly yearned, making him even guiltier.

She wanted her family and him both in her life. He knew she was unaware that her thoughts were open to him. Sometimes when she was most vulnerable, he could her thoughts in form a whisper. He was her mate after all. The blood bond had fused their souls.

It wasn't like she wasn't happy with him. She was happy and she told him over and over again that she didn't regret her choice. But his conscience wasn't letting him forget that his mate had left everything for him. It mocked him for causing his mate pain. It reminded him that he stood between his mate and her happiness.

And the sad part was he couldn't do anything about it. If she wanted to be with him she had to leave Originals behind. His clans were already very uncomfortable with allowing her to become a part of their family. He knew favoring Elena would not set well with his vampires, wolves and his witches. It could turn them all against him and his mate and quite frankly right now he couldn't afford any more enemies. Especially when he had a supernatural child on the way. Dr. Lucy had told him that there was a chance Elena was in threat too and that had knocked the air out of him. He couldn't lose his mate. He would die if he did.

So, in short, he was in pretty tough situation right now. He was torn in between keeping his mate happy and keeping his clan safe and satisfied. Completely torn. He had too many problems and very little time. The only good thing in life right now was that his mate was with him and by the grace of any God out there she still loved him even after everything she went through because of him. She was having his child and that very thought made him ecstatic.

He was lost in his thoughts, when Alaric's voice interrupted him. "I found something about Elena today"

That caught his attention. He sat straight, telling him with his eyes to continue. "Good or bad?" he asked, warily.

"Both" Alaric said with a sigh as he sat.

He took a deep breathe, preparing in his mind to explain the whole situation to Damon. Elena's mate needed to know Elena was a death trap.

"I found out that Elena wasn't the one who burned down the white oak forest" he stopped.

"What?" he said, shocked to core. "but she confessed to me that she did…"

Bonnie looked as puzzled as him. "Damon is right. The girl admitted she did it"

"What else did the girl say to you?" Alaric asked.

 _"Damon…I have no idea how that happened. I don't know what possessed me. I didn't do it on purpose…"_ He remembered her say that.

"She keeps saying that she didn't do it on purpose." Damon said slightly ashamed. His mate's doing reflected on him too. Whatever she did, he was responsible for it.

"I guess we were talking about killing Originals so much, it must have had some psychological effect on her" Damon defended her even though he knew it was wrong. But when you're in love nothing makes sense. Nothing defines the concept of "Right" and "Wrong".

"She is not lying, Damon" Alaric said. "She wasn't in control of her actions. We missed a big fact, Damon. We forgot where she belongs from"

"Original. I know that" he said, his tone filled with disgust. He loved her but that didn't mean he liked her clan. He hated the very fact that she was connected to Mikael or Klaus or any Original for that matter.

"Compulsion. Originals compelled her to burn the forest, didn't they?" Bonnie interjected, gasping. "Originals can compel vampires" she added. Yes, that was no secret.

"But that lowlife didn't even know she was with me. He couldn't have done that" Damon said, perplexed at what Alaric was signaling.

"No! Bonnie. Compulsion isn't Klaus's only unique power" Alaric stopped. "He has another rare power that the Original vampires made by Witch Esther herself, a power only Klaus and Mikael has"

"Just be out with it Alaric!" Damon said, annoyed. "Why do you have to make everything so dramatic?"

"I'm only guessing it now with you. If you catch up to what I'm trying to say then I would know I'm not just making crap connections" Alaric replied.

"You told us that Klaus has two powers that makes him even to us. Age and his loyal vampires." Bonnie remembered.

"Yes and what else did I tell you?"

"You told us that Klaus create his own vampires because he believes that loyalty can only be ensured by the comradely of blood sharing between the master and his creation" Damon added, bored.

"Yes, a vampire is always most loyal to the vampire who created him only Klaus's bond with his creations is stronger. He makes his vampires his slaves. His vampires only do as he wills. His mother's magic had ensured that. That bond is called the Sire bond" Alaric reminded him.

Click.

 _"You were turned by Mr. Nicklaus Michelson?" Lord Hummel had asked Elena on the day of the council's hearing._

 _Elena nodded._

Click.

" _don't forget that I own you. I'm your creator" Klaus's mad voice boomed in his hear. He was holding Elena, threatening her after she chose Damon, her mate._

Click.

 _"I never had other intentions for staying here other than the reason that I love you"_ Elena had told him the night they had returned from Council's meeting.

 _"and the white oak tree forest…I don't remember anything. I know that I did it. But I never meant to do it. It just happened"_ she added. _"I never wanted to harm anyone"_

"Elena is sired to Klaus" he breathed. He was shocked and appalled. His mate was bound to her master who happened to be his worst enemy. He shuddered at the thought of all the things Klaus could make her do.

He could make her kill herself. He could make her forget him. He could make her kill anyone of his family. He could make her spill all his secrets to him. Fuck! Shit! He had to break the bond.

"I have a theory about why she burned the white oak forest" Alaric said. "Klaus must have told her to defend her family against any threat. And so she did. She tried to fight it. So the bond took over her body and her body acted on its own accord. That's why she remembers doing it just as a distant memory" Alaric explained.

Damon dropped his head in his hands. He nails scraped over his temple, down his cheek, hard. He needed the pain, used it to cut through the chaos in his head. His poor mate had been a victim of that monster too and he never realized that.

"How…how did you find out?" he said almost shaking from anger.

"Elena and I were talking about her family. I was telling her how much Rippers appreciate her sacrifice. She told me that she never wanted to make a choice. She said that a force made her do it. She told me strange voices rang in her ears forcing her to choose her family"

"That son of bitch" he roared. True, he too had asked Elena to choose him. He was her mate. He felt no shame in admitting that he wanted to keep her but Klaus had played a whole new game.

"If Elena was ordered by Klaus to choose her family then why did she choose Damon?" Bonnie asked.

"Because he is her other half of soul. He is her mate. They are going to have a child. She sees him and their baby as her family. Klaus told her to choose her "family". Sire bond is complete mind control. Her mind saw her family in her mate. Thus the loophole." Alaric completed.

"That makes sense" Bonnie sighed. "He would want to make sure that his Petrova chooses him. After all, he would want Elena's offspring to himself because of their magical power. He couldn't have risked Elena choose. He wanted to be sure she chooses him but Alas for him she saw Damon as her family. His own wrong choice of words bit him in the ass"

Damon looked at the ceiling. He looked puzzled and very disturbed. His poor mate was in complete control of a devil. It was just by the stroke of luck that she chose him. He almost lost her forever. No wonder the monster was confident that she would chose him. He clenched his fists, trying to control his anger.

His mind wandered to all the other things Klaus had made Elena do under his influence. Burning the white oak tree forest. Klaus had unknowingly almost finished his death weapon using his mate. He remembered shouting at her for the crime his mate wasn't even fully aware that she did. He understood her reasons to be silent now. The poor girl didn't know how to explain. She had no idea the power her brother held over her.

But what other did he expect from a lowlife inhumane Klaus Michelson. He had burned villages after villages. He could go to any length for power and that includes having his sister bound to him by the creator's bond or Sire bond.

"No" he heard Elena. She was standing by the dining room door. "My brother can't do that" she said, frowning. She came down here to get water when she heard Alaric talk about some sort of bond between her and her brother. It was wrong to listen in to her mate's political matters but she couldn't help it. She hissed when Bonnie said Klaus wanted her children. No, he didn't. He didn't even know. Elena thought.

But she had enough when they continued accusing her brother. "I know that everyone hates my family here and I wouldn't blame them but my brother would never sink that low." She spat.

Her mate stood up, his clan mates mimicking him. "Baby, Calm down" he said with his hand ahead.

"Everyone hates Nick here, I know and he had given them all good reasons to hate him and I know that Nick hates me now for choosing Damon but he did love me before and he never deprived me of choices unless completely necessary."

"Baby, Rick's assumptions are never wrong and didn't you say that you had no power over your body when you burned down our forest" Damon reminded her, trying to keep his anger in control. He understood her need to defend her brother but right now he really needed her to stop that.

"No…I trust Nick" she said, stubbornly, looking down. Of course, not. Klaus loves…loved her. He had kept her like a porcelain doll. He had given her everything she ever wanted. Her brother was a monster to the rest of the world but he was her hero.

"You don't know his schemes baby. You're from Petrova blood. Your blood has magic in it. He only wanted because you can procreate."

"No" she said, shaking her head.

"Your brother—" he spat the word brother with so much bitterness as if it was venom "–is a conniving power hungry, selfish prick. He wants our child because of the magical power he would possess. He wants to make him a monster like he is. He wants to rule our world but unlucky for him I would be personally standing in his way"

"Damon, Stop it" Elena warned. "Nick doesn't even know about our child"

"Elena he made you for this purpose" Alaric informed. "and to ensure that you don't deny him he turned you personally thus trapping you in sire bond."

"With all due respect Rick, I know my brother. He had raised me. He had protected me. He had fed me. He made memories with me. I know that he did wrong to all of you but he had been nothing but a kind and loving father and a fiercely protective brother to me. Just because I chose Damon doesn't mean I love and respect him any less. So, I will thank you to not lie and turn me against him." She said fiercely.

"Lie? Why would we lie to you?" Damon said, appalled. "Rick is not lying. I trust Rick. Whatever he said is completely correct"

"Well then I trust Nick and I know that everyone hates him but he would never harm me nor my children." Elena replied.

"Did you forget that he threatened you in front of the whole council?" Her mate spat.

A pit formed in her stomach. Tears welled afresh in her eyes as she tried to form the words in her mouth. How could he say that? He knew how much the idea of her family hating her killed her inside? How could he remind her?

"I know that they hate me now you don't have to remind me of that" she said in a heartbroken tone.

He immediately felt guilty and regretted his words as he watched her face register the hurt. "I didn't mean it like that. I was just telling you that he isn't the hero you think he is" he added.

"Think whatever you want about him but I refuse to accept that Nick is the monster that you people want me to believe he is. He would never sink as low to use mind control on me. I'm not a pawn to him. He didn't use me. He loved me truly. I am the one who betrayed him.

To you people, he might be a monster but he was and is my hero. I always respected and loved him and I'll continue to do regardless of his feelings for me" she said, trying her best not to break in front of them.

With that said, she span around and left, sprinting back to her room. Damon fell on the chair again, running his hand through his hair. "She doesn't believe us" Bonnie said, disbelievingly.

"Of course, she doesn't. Look at it from her perspective. Klaus had raised her. He had put effort in her life. They are siblings. It's understandable that the girl would believe her brother could not harm her or use her despite what he said at the meeting in council." Alaric said, sitting, pouring himself bourbon.

"Is there a way to break the sire bond?" Damon asked. He had synced himself to her emotions, her desperate thoughts; her guilty conscience combined with yearning for her family was what he felt from her.

Alaric shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of but I'll find a way" he said. "But you know what this means, Right?"

"I know. We have to keep her away from that lowlife as far as we can before we figure out a way" he replied, looking down.

"It's for her own good" Alaric added. "I know that you know. It's just that…lately you have been in favor of Elena meeting her family. I know that you feel guilty that she had to leave them.

Trust me, I understand your need to give her everything she desires but don't let her love cloud your correct judgment. Originals are enemies Damon. They had always been our enemies. And I understand that Elena can't forget her family and it took a lot of courage on her part leave them but this is just how things are now Damon. Elena Michelson is a Ripper and she has to abide by our rules." Alaric finished.

He sat still, nodding, his eyes fixated on the patterns of tiles, his mind elsewhere. He understood what Alaric was trying to say in between the lines. That he shouldn't favor his mate a lot especially in front of the wolf chief who was already uncomfortable with Elena. His biased behavior will gain him enemies within his clan including Alaric. He had to remember that he was the Ripper chief and his clan's security was his top most duty. Their lives and fate depended on him. They were understanding enough to let Elena live. If he was having thoughts on designing a peace treaty with Originals(to make his mate happy) then he should forget about it immediately because that is out of question. Elena's pain was a smile price to pay for their security. In their minds, Elena Michelson was one of them now and she just has to learn to live with it.

But what about her? His mate. Why should she suffer? He thought. Just for the crime of falling in love with him. To them, her pain wouldn't mean anything but to him it showed how he failed her. It showed that he couldn't provide for his mate and how he couldn't prevent her from hurting over and over again. Once again, he was torn.

* * *

Elena was sitting on her bed, reading. Or at least she was pretending to read. She ignored him, completely when he entered. She didn't look up or acknowledge him. She was still furious at him partly for accusing her brother of using her and partly for unknowingly hurting her by reminding her that the brother she was so furiously defending had declared to the council that he hated her and he would punish her for her treachery.

Elena felt his eyes on her as he jumped on bed. "You know I'm a vampire and I'm tired as fuck. Every batch of new vampires is worse than the last one. I nearly killed two today in frustration" he started conversation.

"Hmm" she said, her eyes still on book.

"Are you still mad at what happened in the morning? Elena I swear I didn't mean it like that. I was just trying to tell you that—"

"You hate him I know that. I can't have you and him in my life together I know that. I choose you over all of them. Didn't I?" she said, her eyes glittered.

"What more do your people want from me? I can't hate them like everyone here does. They were my family. I love them all. I left them yes but I love them still and I always will.

He has been a terrible person but when it comes to family he would never sink as low as to conspire against one of his own. He would never use any… any sire bond on us and deprive of our will and the very idea that he think of me as some sort of breeding cow is ridiculous. He doesn't want our children for any diabolical plan" she said everything that she had been thinking the whole day he was gone.

There was no use of arguing with Elena. In a way, he understood her. She had only seen Klaus's good side. She had grown up in a place where Klaus was a hero. He was her sibling and by that relation she explicitly trusted him. It was his job to keep his little martyr of a mate safe.

"Fine. I'm sorry. It was just Rick's theory. There must be another explanation for why your body wasn't in control when you burned down our forest" he gave her something to think about.

She shook her head with a hiss.

"Forget about it! I'm here to deal with all that crap. If you're indeed in a sire bond than we will find out a way to break it and if you're not then all is good. Okay?" he said, holding her hand.

"You don't believe me" Elena said, frowning.

"I have my reasons" he accepted. She sighed, pulling her hand out of his hold but he held on to her other wrist.

"Don't worry about all that. You have me to deal with all that. You've got to stop stressing yourself like this and you have got to stop crying all the time" he said, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with his thumbs. "It's not good for you—it's not good for our son"

"How do you know it's a boy" she said resentfully. "You say he all the time…" she was distracted.

"Salvatore curse. We always get boys" he said with a smile. She looked up at him from her wet lashes and caught a glimpse of a very honest and caring emotions on his face. His icy blue eyes soft and warm. His mouth curved into a tender smile. She almost forgot how to breath.

"See something you like" he said a glint of mischief in his eyes.

She looked away huffing, half embarrassed and half annoyed. She was supposed to stay mad at him. He had hurt her. She remembered. But he always managed to make her forget everything.

"Elena. I said I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was really inconsiderate of me" he said earnest as he sat in front of her. She sniffed and looked at him. He reached out to take her hands. Looking at them, he played with her fingers. She pulled back, a frown on her face. "You hurt me today"

"and I'm really sorry" he whispered.

With his hand resting gently on her cheek, he kissed her forehead. When he pulled back and looked at her, her eyes were closed, as if content by his touch. He tucked a stray curl behind her ear. Lightly, oh so softly, he feathered kisses over her cheeks, along the curve of her jaw and throat. Peppering kisses down her throat, he laved the hollow of her collarbone.

Elena's mortal heart pattered against her ribs, her hands moved up his body until her fingers intertwined with his hair and dragged his mouth to her hungry one. Her lips crashed with his, the fight now completely forgotten from her mind.

His palms rose to her cheeks and his fingers in her hair. He scooted closer to her body as her lips molded with his. His tongue played with the seam of her lips nudging them apart. A moan escaped her lips, relaxing to his touch. Inching her dress up, his hand reached to the core of all her needs. She gasped when a finger slipped inside her.

It wasn't like they had not been intimate the past two weeks after they made up. But this felt too good. His fingers moved in and out of her and she felt warmth growing stronger with every passing second. "Baby, you're so wet" he said, against her lips. "Only for you" she breathed. "I…I want you" she said, kissing a sensitive spot behind his ear. He nodded, impulsively.

Their hands had trembled as they'd hurriedly undressed each other, their mouths eager. Moving her long silky hair away he began kissing her neck, his hands roaming down her body and back up. He was driving her insane today. Elena thought. She nibbled on his throat, pushing him on the bed and straddling him. She slid her body over his and pressed soft kisses down his body until she was kneeling between his legs. She took his length inside her mouth in small increments. "Baby, Don't tease" he pleaded. She took him deeper and went crazy, not holding back—not even a little. She wanted to drive him insane just like he drove her wild from desire. Soon he was groaning, telling her how much he loved her, how he would do anything for her. When he knew he couldn't control anymore, he pulled her up and set her on his lap.

His hands were everywhere, touching every part of her body, kissing every part of her body like he was making love to a Goddess. His hands reached her breasts. Caressing and fondling both, he kissed every part of them, murmuring how much he loved her, progressing slowly until he reached her nipple. A quiver of pleasure passed through when he took one between his lips, she drew a sharp breathe when he suckled. Their mutual desire for each other fueled. She moaned and thrashed underneath him.

Her hands grabbed the sheets. Her toes curled when his tongue snaked a path to her most sensitive parts. He pressed mouth to her aching flesh. She moaned in pleasure, her fingers curled in his black hair aiding him with movements. And then it happened. Her world shattered in tiny pieces. It felt so good. His lips trailed up to her stomach. "I want you now" she ordered, panting.

Like a jungle cat, he moved up her body. He aligned his swollen manhood to Elena's core and entered her in increments. Pure bliss wrapped around her body and they moaned in unison. Tremors traveled Damon's body as he pumped slowly into her. Her slick heat was rushing around him. She scraped his back with her nails, moaning his name, arguing him to go harder. "I love you so much" she said over and over again as his plunged into her. Fireworks busted behind her eyelids and she arched her back to relish more of the feel of him in her.

"Elena" he groaned and she knew he was close. As he thrusted inside her, he promised her the world. He told her how much she meant to him. He would do anything for her. Deeper and harder, he went, over and over until he went to a world of ecstasy. He fell on top of her, his body completely consumed by his climax.

Lying next to her, he pulled her closer, a dreamy look in his eyes. "I love you so much. I'm really sorry for what I said in the morning"

"I know." She said nuzzling his neck. "I love you too" she said kissing his jaw.

"I know it's very hard on you. I wish I could change everything" he said, sadly, grazing her temple with his fingertips.

"Like I said, I have accepted my fate" she said, yawning. She felt immense guilt in his emotions. "It was meant to happen and I don't regret it."

"Still doesn't make it less painful" he said.

"No. It doesn't" she admitted. "but time heals all wounds and then there is also the fact that I have got you and our child to think about. I will be happily content with that for the rest of our eternity" she said, her tone final.

He smiled at her bringing her closer, kissing the top of her head. She smiled instinctively. Borders, hatred, centuries old feuds everything forgotten as they snuggled up together they were so contented they fell asleep in each other`s arms.

* * *

"she said No" Klaus said, shaking his head. "How can she say no to me? He made her say that. He is forcing her" he added.

"I can't do much more. Elena is a Ripper now. Her chief is her mate. We can't force him to present her to council." Lord Hummel said.

"What good are you if you can't do this one favor for me?" Klaus huffed.

"I am sorry Klaus but there is nothing I can do. He clearly said in council that his mate refused to meet you." Lord Hummel replied.

Klaus threw the wine glass across the room in frustration. She was in the next town yet he couldn't reach her. The power was so close yet so far. It wasn't like he haven't tried reaching her when she stayed went Duke for college. She was heavily guarded by witches. She was impossible to reach. He just needs five minutes with his young sister to turn the game on the Ripper. He just needs an opportunity. But so far no chance.

* * *

"I choose you, Damon"

It was easier said than done. Today, she had passed her first semester with good grades. Needless to say that her mate celebrated her achievement. He threw her a huge party. Everyone congratulated her. Everyone praised her. But it meant nothing. Apart from her mate, everyone else were strangers to her. Her friends from her college, they didn't even know she was a vampire. Her mate's friends, they only pretended to act good with her to get in her mate's good books. Her only true friend here was the Ripper witch Bonnie and even she wasn't here today because it was her night on border guard duty.

Her mind wandered to what her Original siblings would say if they found out she cleared her first semester. She missed them so much. All of them. She missed her banter with Kol. She missed fashion fights with Caroline. She missed her shopping trips with Rebekah. But most of all, she missed Nick. She missed how he used to teach her things. She missed how he used to take her to places. He used to be so proud of her on her past achievements. Would he be proud if he found out she got through her first semester of college?

Her hands lingered to her stomach. She was six weeks pregnant now. It had been one month to the time witches had deducted her pregnancy. So far, her pregnancy was going just like any normal pregnancies. Nausea, panic attacks, mood swings and morning sickness. Nothing abnormal. But the witches were keeping strict tabs on her. The child held magic and as long as it was inside her she would be able to harness magic too. That made her danger to herself since she had no idea how to control magic.

Her mind wandered back to her family living across the border who couldn't be a part of her life anymore. What would they think if they find out she was with a child? Her brothers had loved her as a child and she knew they would love her too. And Rebekah. She was an epitome of motherhood. She would be so happy. But Damon had strictly forbidden her not to tell anyone about her pregnancy. He had this insane idea that Klaus wanted to snatch their child and make him a monster.

Strong hands snaked around her stomach and she welcomed their tight almost desperate embrace. One of his hand wove in her hair moving them out of his way before he dropped feathery kisses down her neck to her collarbone. Goose bumps covered her arms and she squirmed with enjoyment, trying not to laugh too hard.

"Stop it!" she said between giggles.

"Looks like I found a ticklish spot," he said and kissed her again.

Her laugh turned to a sultry gasp of pleasure as his hands trailed down her curves. "Oh…okay. Not here. There are people here" she warned him, turning around shyly. "Hmmm…" he said , kissing the hollows under her jawline. "Okay When I said now I'm okay with PDA I didn't mean public sex"

"Prude" he said, pulling away. "You're no fun"

"Believe me I want to do this as much as you do" she said, linking her arms around his neck. "but as soon as your guests leave" she said.

"Hmph Fine" he huffed, fake annoyance. "What were you thinking about?" he asked, changing topic.

"Nothing"

"You were upset about something"

"No"

"Elena?" he said, pulling her closer, annoyed that she wasn't sharing what was on her mind.

"Jules look really pretty tonight. Doesn't she?" Elena said, looking away. The girl had boldly tried to flirt with her mate in front of her. Pregnancy was messing her head and she was seething. But her mate put that girl in her place by telling her to focus on security check rather than him.

"She has nothing on you, Baby vamp" he replied. "You and I both know that you're the one who rules me. I don't see anyone else when you're in the room. You have bewitched me with your magic. You're an enchantress." He complemented, nuzzling her temple.

"You're just trying to get in my pants" she accused, jokingly.

"Who is talking about sex?" he said. He meant his words. Besides, there relationship was more than sex.

"Why?" she said her eyes narrowing. "You don't want to have sex with me?" she said, hurt. Her pregnancy hormones were getting her all worked up over nothing again.

"Of course! I wanna have sex with you especially after these delicious curves you've grown" he said adoringly.

"You mean I'm fat" she said, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Wait a second" he said in a placating voice. "I didn't say that"

"You just said you don't want to have sex with me" she said, her lower lip trembling. "because I'm fat"

"No. No." he took a step back. "I said I do want to have sex with you"

"because I'm fat?" she questioned.

"Yes. No. I meant I like your curves"

"You just called me fat, Damon" she said. She was furious, red in anger. He looked at her unbelievingly. She held salacious beauty. Her insecurities were petty and completely ridiculous.

"You're not fat, Baby vamp. You have more curves now but certainly not fat" he said and instantly regretted when her eyes widened. "I am growing curves…that's your code for Elena you're fat" she spat.

He staggered back. "You have a baby growing inside you. You will get bigger, it's science"

"Wait! You're turning a compliment into a completely different thing" he said.

"You're such an asshole. You know these days I'm insecure about my looks and you still—"

"Oh for goodness sake, Baby vamp, you're not FAT. You're pregnant and you're beautiful. You have never been more radiant. You glow…and I love your hair" he said. "What did you do to them?" he added.

"I had a haircut which by the way thank you for noticing" she said, glaring at him. She had styled them in layers yesterday. They still reached her waist but they were smaller in length than before.

"Sorry. I had been busy with training with new vampires" he said, ashamed. "but I love it. They look nice" he complemented touching a strand. "and you don't need to be insecure. You're perfect, Baby" he promised.

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay! Fine! I'm sorry" he finally apologized. "You're forgiven" she replied. He sighed in relief. Dr. Lucy had warned him that he would have to be very patient with her, unconditionally once her pregnancy hormones kick in. Suddenly, he remembered something. "I have a gift for you" he said.

"Please nothing expensive" she groaned. "No! Nothing like that. I made it myself" he said.

"You sketched something for me"

"Yes…" he said as he led her to his art room. "I sketched our future" he added, nervously. "What?" Elena said, puzzled.

He took out a portrait from a wrap and set it on the stand. Nervously, he moved removed the white sheet revealing his beautiful art work. It was sketch of her and her mate watching a sunrise. A dark haired man, a beautiful woman, and a child, all wrapped together in a beautiful quilt. She sank down onto the chair, overcome by the wonder and awe of it. "Oh God!" she said, happy tears welling to her eyes. It just hit her. She was going to be a mother soon. A child. She would have a child. Yes, she knew before but in this moment it sounded most real.

"This is perfect. Thank you so much" she said, looking at him with adoration.

"I see us like this. Like I said you me and our everything" He whispered.

She smiled, wiping her tears. "Tell me this isn't a dream" she whispered. "We are really together? We are really having a child? We are going to be a family" she said dragging him to sit next to her.

"This is real" he smiled his magical smile making her heart skip a beat. "We are together and we are going to have a child which is an impossible notion seeing as we are both technically dead" he added, making her chuckle.

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm scared Damon. What if…what if everything falls apart? I wouldn't be able to live…"

He cut her off. "Shh! don't say things like that, Baby vamp. Everything is going to be fine. As long as I'm alive you have nothing to worry about" he promised. She nodded, kissing his temple. The couple stayed in each other's arms discussing their future plans regarding their child and them, promising each other that they would always stay together no matter what.

Meanwhile on the opposite side of Mystic Falls, plans were being made to separate the two, forever.

* * *

Elena had been silent throughout the morning. He had asked her once or twice what was wrong but she shrugged him off telling him it was just pregnancy hormones.

"Her sister's birthday is coming up" Stefan told him.

"Rebekah?"

"Who else?"

"How do you know that?" Damon asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Her birthday is the top event discussed in every fucking corner of the vampire council. Also Lady Pearl made sure she reminded me that a couple of times." He said in a grim tone.

Damon's eyes darted to his mate. She was lost in her thoughts, doodling on a page.

His heart dropped. Times like these when he felt helpless. He tried his best to fill the void left by her family. He was her best friend, her lover, her mate but it still wasn't enough. No matter how hard he try he couldn't fill that void. It wasn't like she wasn't happy with him. She was very happy and she repeatedly assured him that but then there were these moments when she secretly mourned after her family. He didn't blame her for that. He would be upset too if someone banned him from his family, from seeing his brother and his friends.

"She is miserable. She is in pain. I don't know what to do?" he said, desperately.

"Don't do anything" Stefan said, shrugging. "she will just have to live with it" he added. But he couldn't do that. He couldn't stand her misery.

* * *

Her whimpers woke him up. "Elena" he said, alarmed. Her eyes were shut. She was still sleeping. Maybe, she was having a nightmare. "Baby…" he said when she moaned again.

She was in weak state. The shield around her mind fell.

 _"What's wrong? Nick. Did I do something wrong?" his mate's voice boomed._

 _Klaus immediately hissed. His hands went up her arms, only to hold them and push her away. He swung his hand around and slapped Elena hard across her face. "Don't touch me" he said harshly._

 _"HOW COULD YOU? How could you do this to us—to me—to Nick?" Kol growled as he threw her at Klaus's feet. Before Elena could register the situation, Klaus pulled her up by her arm. "How could you? Elena. I gave you all my love. I loved you even more than I loved Rebekah or Kol. I loved you regardless of the fact that you're my half-sister…but you proved it if you respected me truly as an elder brother, if you were truly my own blood you would have never betrayed me like this"_

The connection broke. The images disappeared. Klaus had slapped her. He growled at the thought. Elena never told him that. How dare he? He synced himself again to her. He was invading her privacy he was aware and it was wrong but he didn't care.

 _"Kol! Please. Please don't say that. I am completely loyal to my family. I really am. But I love him too. I can't live without him"_ his mate, his Elena had defended their love.

The connection broke before he could see further but not before draining him of all energy. It was easy when her own mind allowed his invasion.

Suddenly to his surprise, her thoughts opened again. Her whimpers slowing.

 _Five year old Elena was finger painting with Kol. "How is this?" she asked him. "Ugly like you" Kol said with a smirk. "NICK!" Elena shouted, crying. "Kol! What is the matter with you?" Klaus growled from far, his eyes darting from a file to Kol._

" _I was just messing with her"_

" _Must you make her cry" Klaus said, frowning. "Do you know how long it takes to cheer her up again?"_

" _Honey! Show it to me" he added, getting up. Elena ran to him, showing her painting with pride. "It's just like you're gonna give Becky" she said, handing him the painting she made of Rebekah. Klaus had decided to give his sister a painting handmade by him and Elena decided to do whatever her brother did._

" _It's beautiful. She will love it" he said as he messed with her hair. "Is it more beautiful then you made?" she asked, hopefully._

" _Why don't we ask her?" A female voice said from behind._

" _Bex" Elena jumped, excitedly. "I made something for you" she said , hiding the painting behind her._

" _What is it?" Rebekah asked, sitting on her knees._

" _It's a painting of you" she said as she revealed. "Do you like it?"_

 _Rebekah smiled looking at the painting made by her five year old sister. Boy! She really didn't know how to paint at all which was weird because all the Michelsons possessed best skills in arts._

" _I love it" she chimed. "I will put it on fridge"_

" _It's ugly, Honey" Kol mocked again._

" _Becky" Elena stomped her foot._

" _Shut up Kol" Rebekah said glaring at him._

" _When are we going to cut the cake?" she said, excitedly as Rebekah pinned her ridiculous painting to the fridge._

" _After her husband comes back from his meeting" Klaus said. "But I want to cut the cake now" Elena said. Spoiled brat she was!_

" _It's Rebekah's birthday. She will cut the cake, Honey" Kol scolded her._

" _It's ok Kol. I have had 987 birthdays so far. It won't kill me if she cuts the cake this one time"_

" _Yeah" Elena said, jumping on the couch in excitement._

" _Honey! Stop jumping on the couch. You'll hurt yourself-Honey…"_

The connection broke. She was awake. Her eyes were glassy. The memory from her childhood wrecked her. Then her eyes darted to her mate who was sitting next to her, concentrating really hard on something.

"Why are you awake?" she asked in a hoarse tone.

"Huh" he said. "Umm…nothing" he said as he laid back. "Are you Okay?" he asked, rubbing her arm. She smiled at him and snuggled to him. "Yes"

"It's Rebekah's birthday on Friday" he said after a while. Elena stiffened. "So?" she whispered.

"You can…"

"Before you start asking me to rethink my choices again I will accept that yes I miss them. That's not going to go away anytime soon. But I'm happy with you and I'm not going back. I chose you, Damon. I chose you in front of my siblings, in front of the council and in front of your clan. Please spare me the lecture." She said, annoyed.

"and stop feeling guilty. It's my choice. You didn't make me do anything. I love you and I can't live without you." She added, reassuring him. He smirked. She didn't even need the mating bond to know he felt at the moment. Their love was that strong.

"I love you too" he said pulling her closer.

"Good! Now let's sleep" she said as she dipped her face in the curve of his neck, contently.

* * *

Love doesn't understand logic. It's illogical and makes you do impulsive things. It makes you insane. That's what was happening to Damon. It's easier to say that Elena chose him rather than done. She was happy or so she looked happy but he knew what she really wanted.

He couldn't give her that but he decided to give her a small portion of that. After pulling some strings he managed to get Rebekah's number. Once, he was out of everyone's earshot on the practice ground he called her.

"Hello"

"Rebekah?"

"Yes"

"Umm…this is Damon Salvatore"

* * *

"Please Rebekah! Just hear me out" he said what he felt like a thousandth time.

"No!" Rebekah flat out refused. "She chose you. She insulted my brothers. It doesn't matter that she misses me. I am not ever going to talk to her or look at her. She is dead to Nick. That makes her dead to us too"

"Rebekah! Just one time. I'm asking you to meet her one time. Yes, she chose me but not a day goes by when she doesn't cry for all of you" he pleaded. He couldn't believe he was pleading an Original.

"I don't care"

"You do care, Rebekah" he said. "If you didn't care you wouldn't be talking to me this long"

"I am trying to hang up but you won't let me" she hissed.

"Rebekah! Why this hate? What are you punishing her for?" he growled. "Because she loves me. Falling in love isn't a crime"

"Falling for the enemy is"

"We didn't plan on falling in love. It just happened" Damon huffed. "You of all people should know about that"

"Shut up" she spat. "Don't remind me of the biggest mistake I committed"

"I am begging you Rebekah, Please" he finally said.

"No. I am hanging up" she said. "It's probably one of your schemes"

"No. No. Listen to me." Damon stopped her. "She saw you in her dream last night. It was a memory. She made a very ugly painting of you. You pinned it to fridge"

* * *

Rebekah stood in the kitchen, tracing the picture, little Honey had made her.

"She was crying in her sleep" Damon said through the phone. "I just need your fifteen minutes. There is no scheme I give you my word. My clan would not hear a word about this. It would be a secret." He continued, noticing that she was hesitant.

"Damon…I…I can't come." She was hesitant now. "It's not right. She made a choice and… we are not allowed to even say her name"

"Just fifteen minutes. I will owe you for life, Rebekah"

"Let me think about it" Rebekah said after a while.

"Thank you! Thank you so much" he said in earnest.

"But my brothers should not know about this"

"I give you my word that no one would know" he said.

"I will call if I…"

"yeah sure"

"Take care of her" she said hesitantly.

"Of course" he said as he hung up.

* * *

Damon exhaled in relief. He couldn't give Elena her family back but he could give her limited time with her sister. It wasn't like he trusted Rebekah completely. He would take a white stake with him if she tried to harm his mate or him but he doubted she would do that. From Elena's memories it seemed like Rebekah was more there for her then her own mother.

For now, he was glad that Rebekah had considered his request. If everything worked he would soon give his mate a few moments with her sister. She would be so happy. Feeling a sense of accomplishment he flashed back to the practice ground.

* * *

Rebekah had hidden all the gifts Elena had given her on all her birthdays. Unlike Kol she didn't throw anything away. She was going to take them to her home, secretly today. She might have grudge with Elena but she still loved her "honey".

Her mind wandered to conversation with Damon. He had begged her to meet Elena. He had told her that their little sister missed them all. Should she meet Elena? She thought. "What if it's a trap?" she thought.

"but Damon sounded so genuine" she murmured.

When she entered the living room, carrying the box, someone blocked her way.

"Nick" she gasped.

A small smile was playing on his lips as if he just got the world.

Rebekah stood nervously. Shit! Did he hear her conversation with Elena's mate. But no one was in the house. Caroline was at her mother's and Klaus and Kol were supposed to be at Council. "How long have…"

"How long have I been here? Long enough to hear your conversation with your ex lover's brother and our traitor's sister current mate" he said, seriously.

"It's not what you think"

"I heard everything Rebekah. I know he called you." Klaus said, circling her. "You have no idea what you did for me today, Rebekah. Thank you" he said cupping her face and kissing her forehead, paternally.

"Do me a favor and call him. Tell him that you will agree to meet Elena if he comes alone with her" Klaus ordered.

"Nick! I can't do that" she said, taking a step back. She knew what this meant. He was going to kill them both.

"You will do it Rebekah." Klaus said. "Go on! Call him and don't you dare tell him that I know"

It was like her hands were out of her control. She dropped the box on the floor and took out her phone from her back pocket. Stop Rebekah. She mentally screamed. What are you doing? Nick is mad. Enraged that honey betrayed him. He will kill them both. He didn't tolerate non sense when it came to his honor and Elena had dishonored him.

"Hello Damon!" she spoke. "Fine! I will meet her but on one condition"

* * *

 **Damon's guilt that he snatched Elena from her family is clouding his judgement. He obviously is underestimating Klaus.**

 **Will Klaus be able to put his plan on action and snatch Damon's mate from him?**

 **Will Rebekah save them or would it be too late?**

 **Wait for next update!**

* * *

I hope you're still enjoying the story

Do leave me a review and let me know if you liked it. I have decided to make this fiction of total 30-35 chapters. Depends on if you people would still like it. Again leave a review!

I actually wrote the chapter on Monday but then I deleted it and rewrote it. It still didn't came out as I planned. But here goes nothing!

Review?


	25. Trapped

**Chapter 24**

* * *

 _ **(A/N):Italics are the past part**_

 _ **P.s: Don't freak out (You will know what I am saying later)**_

* * *

Suspicious. It had taken Damon five minutes to convince Rebekah to even talk to him, fifteen minutes to convince her that Elena indeed missed them (Originals) and then ten more minutes to convince her to consider seeing Elena for only fifteen minutes and she accepted in what? Only thirty minute time span. No. Something was definitely wrong.

He suddenly did not feel comfortable to take his mate to meet her sister. He would have to think it through before he takes her to meet the other Original girl. Also he felt slightly hesitant because allowing Elena to secretly meet her sister will not go well with his clan, no matter how much they trusted him. To them, it would be a treachery. Hell they could even kick him out of the clan. And they had all the right reasons.

First, he had mated with his biggest enemy's sister. Then he allowed her to live safe and sound regardless of how uncomfortable it made his clan members. And now he was making arrangements for her to meet her sister who was still very much Original. It was unfair to his clan who were already very supportive. He almost chickened out. But then he remembered Elena's glassy beautiful brown eyes. Her desperateness, her restlessness, her yearning and her sad brown eyes. He was puzzled again. His heart wanted to give her what she really yearned but his mind kept warning him that allowing Elena to meet Originals would be the biggest mistake of his life.

He was confused, puzzled and completely torn.

He entered his house and was about to go to his room when something caught his attention. A strange odor. Something was burning. The clinking of dishes and silverware could be heard from kitchen. His superior hearing picked up the sound of someone frying. Elena was cooking or trying to cook. He flashed to the kitchen.

He saw it coming before she even did it. Very carelessly she tossed the sliced potatoes into the pan and before he could warn her the hot oil splashed back on her sun kissed tan arm. She yelped with the sting of burn. "Elena" he flashed to her side and pulled her back before more splashes could harm his already injured mate.

"WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?" he shouted at her making her flinch.

"It's okay. It's not much" she said as she examined her bare arm. Tears were pricking her eyes because of the sting of the burn. Her lower arm and her hand had sustained some minor burns from the flying oil.

He glared at her and hurriedly led her to sink to place her arm under the cold water. She hissed at the contact of water. He momentarily panicked. Why wasn't she healing? Then he remembered she was a mortal now.

 _"Like any mortal, she will be delicate now. Prune to injury. Prune to death. So be very careful with her"_ he remembered the witch tell him.

This made him even more angry and Elena sensed it. She casted her eyes down, she knew how he felt when she got hurt. He hated her pain.

"This looks really bad. I think we need to take you to emergency room" he said as he inspected her burns. He was freaking out. In his mind, a mortal body is very weak. He could not wait and let the her very human body heal by itself. He was used to instant healing. He couldn't stand her pain.

"I…I should be okay with a little ice. Can you please get me some from freezer?" she said as tears rolled down her cheeks from the sting.

"Elena, we have to go to the hospital. Your skin is turning red and blistering. I have heard humans get cancer from slightest wounds and these burns look serious" he said, shaking his head clearly panicked.

"It's just a bit broken. Not even second degree burn. It's okay. I'm fine" she said, comforting her mate.

"No, we are going to the hospital. This doesn't look good to me. Let's go"

"Damon, it's just a little oil burn. It doesn't even hurt anymore" she said with an airy laugh.

He was glaring at her, and his face turned port red. "Elena, it looks pretty serious to me." Why couldn't she see it was serious? Why wasn't she panicking like he was? The burns must hurt.

"Let's just wait till morning" she pleaded. She understood his need to keep her safe but lately he was very over protective.

"Fine but if it's not well till next hour we are going to ER and that's final" he said, sensing her hesitation. Without much effort, he picked her up by the waist; his hands firmly planted on her hips and placed her on the kitchen counter away from the stove. He turned the knob the burner, turning it off grumbling about how she was acting like a child.

"Stay here" he ordered, firmly as he flashed away and came back within minutes with antibiotic ointment. "You know that you don't know a thing about kitchen then why do you even try? You could have turned the pan on yourself. You could have burned yourself alive in here, silly girl, what on earth were you thinking?" he continued grumbling in red anger as he very tenderly applied the cream on her soft skin.

"I am sorry" she said.

"You're not immortal. You don't heal quickly. I told you to be careful. Didn't I?—" he trailed off when a hiss escaped her lips when a one of his finger touched the slightly blistered skin. He flinched reflexively. "Sorry…sorry…" he said as he continued, now more careful then before.

"It's okay. It's not that bad" she said, trying to smile even though her eyes were turning glassy.

"You're mortal. You have only one life. You cannot comeback if in case you die. Get it? Dead—not coming back. So if not for yourself then be careful for me and our child" he continued scolding her as if she was a child.

"I said I'm sorry" she replied, embarrassed. He looked at her, and his face softened almost lovingly as he brushed one of her tears away.

"Do you even realize how severe this could have been? Obviously you don't because if you did you would be more careful." He continued as he wrapped her hand with a dry cloth. "And what would become of me if anything happened to you? Don't you see if anything happened to you I wouldn't want to live? You're my life"

"Damon! These are just a couple of oil burns. I'm fine." He placed both of his hands on the counter on either side of her hips, leaned his face to hers and sighed, looking down at her lap.

"I'm probably being paranoid, but being paranoid is better than being careless…" he said. "You have a body of a mortal now. You're weak and fragile. I have forgotten how delicate a mortal body is. You will bleed and injure easily and won't heal instantly and—"

She cupped his face in both of her hands as she brought his forehead to her lips and kissed it softly. His eyes closed quietly at the warm contact.

"Better?" she asked, smiling. He nodded, his eyes still closed. Gently she brushed his hair out of his eyes. "I am sorry that I worry you so much. I'll be careful from now on. I promise!" she said before he could scold her more. He rolled his eyes but nodded, accepting her apology. Almost lazily, he reached around and brushed his hand down her belly, feeling her shiver with anticipation. He kissed the side of her mouth, then buried his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder. "You have to be very careful. You have our child growing inside you, Elena. Carelessness at this time is neither good for you or him." He whispered.

She nodded. Of course, her child's welfare meant more to her than anything. She locked her hands around his neck.

"You're too tense, something on your mind?" she asked, softly placing a kiss at the corner of his lips.

"It's nothing" he said, opening his icy blue eyes. He didn't want to tell her about Rebekah yet. Not before he was sure that allowing her to meet with Rebekah was safe. She looked at him, puzzled. He was never good at keeping secrets from her. He was always transparent and straight forward. She didn't pressure him to tell her though. He will tell her when he is ready. She thought.

"Does your hand hurt?" he said, still locked in her embrace.

"No" she said, kissing the side of his neck.

"This is tough" he said, pouting.

"What?"

"I am really mad at you but I also want you so bad" he said, frowning. "What to do? Scold you or make love to you?"

She let out a giggle. "You're getting short tempered these days" she said ruffling his hair. "Must be the age" she added, smirking. She knew he hated when she took a jibe at his age. "Research says men get grouchier at old age" she said further.

She laughed as he narrowed his eyes playfully. She smiled, mischievously at him. "You shouldn't toy with a demon like me" he warned and pulling her close, looking directly into her eyes—the eyes he loved.

"You're going to regret saying that when I tire you out tonight after giving you orgasm after orgasm until you can't feel your legs."

"Is that so—"her words died in her mouth when he pulled her against him and kissed her, sliding his hands over her hips.

* * *

"Marcel? Where is Bex?" Klaus said as soon as he entered his sister's house. Rebekah had rushed out of the house immediately after she had called Damon and told him whatever Klaus had ordered her to say.

"Nick? What did you say to her? You know she is sensitive and yet you…"

"Later Marc, Where is Bex?" he said, stopping Rebekah's mate rant.

"In our bedroom"

"Is she decent?" he asked as he made his way toward their bedroom.

"Yes" Marcel replied, following him.

Klaus wasn't worried that Rebekah would tell anyone about his plan to get Damon and Elena separated from other Rippers. He had ensured that Rebekah won't be able to tell anyone about his plan using his sire bond with his sister.

He just wanted to explain himself to her. He knew she would understand.

"Bekah!" he said as he entered her bedroom.

"I wasn't attending your calls. That should have been enough signs that I don't want to talk to you" she spat at her brother, throwing the magazine that she was reading.

What had Klaus made her do today? And why did she do it? Klaus somehow always made her do everything he wanted them to do even if she didn't want to do it. She always thought it was out of respect of her elder brother or her fear for what he could do in his madness. But today it was as if he compelled her. But that wasn't possible since she always drank vervain.

"So, are you going to be mad at your brother for those lowlife Rippers?" he asked, seething.

"You know perfectly well why I am mad at you" she rose up, glaring at him.

"Bex…sweetheart" Marcel interrupted them. Klaus wasn't very good with keeping his temper in control, Marcel didn't want his mate to get hurt.

"Marcel! This is between me and my sister. Let her speak… she has every right" Klaus warned him. "In fact, please can you give us some privacy?" It wasn't a request. It was an order. Klaus's chief tone said that.

Marcel looked uncomfortable. He looked at Rebekah as if asking her with his eyes if he should go.

Rebekah nodded, allowing him.

"Okay" Marcel said and left the siblings to talk.

Rebekah moved toward her dresser and Klaus followed her. "Bex! Talk to me" he said zooming behind her.

"Why? Clearly you don't give a crap about what I think or what I say?" she said, moving away from him.

"Bekah!"

"You're going to kill them. You're going to kill your own sister? What's there to talk about?" she hissed, turning back at him.

Klaus visibly flinched by her words. "No. No. Bex! On the contrary I am trying to save her from him"

"Don't give me that crap, Nick. I know you" she said, her eyes blazing.

"If you know me you would know I would never hurt any of my own. I raised that girl. I fed her with my own hands. I stayed up with her at nights when she was ill. I starved myself along her when she couldn't feed from humans and you accuse me of setting her death?" Klaus shouted. "She betrayed me by choosing him. Yes, I'm hurt and be assured that she would be punished for that but I will never kill her"

"Then why are you calling Honey and her mate to meet me alone?" Rebekah asked. "And how did you even make me do that? I…I didn't want to do it" she said, desperately.

"You did it because you love me and respect me. You did because you trust me" Klaus said touching her arm, dodging her eyes. Of course, he would never tell her that she did that because she was sired to him.

She shook her head unconvinced. "You didn't answer my other question"

"Isn't it obvious?" Klaus said, softly. "I am trying to save her from Ripper"

"Nick, she chose him. She…"

"She was forced" Klaus said.

Rebekah's eyes narrowed. Klaus held her hand and led her to the couch. "Bekah! That can be only explanation as for why our Honey left us for HIM" he said, venomously.

"Nick"

"Just hear me out" Klaus said, holding both of her hands. "Bekah! You know very well how much you, Kol and Honey means to me. I am nothing without all of you. Everyone knows that. The Rippers know that." He started.

"Before you say the Ripper trapped Elena by lying to her, let me remind you that the Ripper was unaware that Honey is our sister. Care told me everything" Rebekah interrupted.

Klaus hissed. "Yes but have Caroline told you that Ripper have forced himself on our sister multiple times?"

"What? No… he wouldn't. He…" Rebekah seemed puzzled.

"I've just recently met Jenna to get more information about…Elena and the Ripper. She told me everything. Bekah! Our sister wanted to stay loyal to us but the Ripper kept harassing her. He followed her. Threatened her that he would kidnap Jenna if she didn't go out with him. Jenna said Elena stayed the whole night with the Ripper. You know very well what he must have made her do if she stayed with him all night.

I guess she was afraid of my anger… that's why she didn't tell me and kept tolerating. I'm sure that he forced Elena into the blood bond too and I'm hundred and one percent sure that the Ripper must have threatened her to choose him in council, a night before when he had her captive or he made his witches do some magic crap on her to make her choose him." he said, hurriedly, seeing as Rebekah was getting convinced.

It wasn't like he was making this all up. Maybe exaggerating but he truly did believed that. Elena had never disobeyed him. Why would she start now? She was only doing everything because the Ripper must have somehow threatened her or manipulated her.

"And that's not enough. I…I was skimming through Caroline's memories a few days before and I came across a certain memory.

 _Caroline was at a night club. She was asking every person if they had seen her sister in law. Her phone rang. Nick was calling her. She cancelled the call. "Excuse me!" she stopped a tall guy. "Have you seen this girl?" she said, showing Elena's picture on the phone screen to him. "She is about yay high" she said signaling to her shoulder. "No. I'm sorry" the guy said, moving out of the way. "Where are you, Honey?" Caroline groaned. When her phone beeped._

 _ **"I am okay. The ripper vervained me. I'm at their side of Mystic Falls but don't worry I will negotiate a way out. Do not call Nick-Elena**_ _"_

"He vervained her." Klaus said shaking uncontrollably . "And it makes my blood boil to say this but you and I both know what that means."

Rebekah gasped and cupped her mouth. Tears were welling in her eyes. She knew Rippers were disgusting, filthy and unfaithful. She had been target of one. But rapist? It confused Rebekah because just half a day ago Damon was begging her to secretly meet Elena. _"She is very upset, Rebekah. I can't stand it. Not a day goes by when she isn't crying for you and I…I can't see it anymore. I have told her that she could go back to her family. She doesn't want to leave me and thank God for that but she misses you. Please just fifteen minutes"_ Damon had said to her on phone just half a day ago. If the Ripper chief himself was allowing his mate to meet an Original then surely she meant a lot to him. But Klaus made sense too. She was confused now.

She looked at her brother who looked torn, hurt and disturbed too. Tears were flashing in his eyes too. "I am just trying to save her Rebekah. As a brother it's my responsibility to protect my sisters. How do you expect me to do nothing when my sister is… is living with… her rapist"

"but…but she says she loves him. She wouldn't love him if he had forced her" Rebekah said, her voice breaking at the thought.

"They have witches, Bekah. Bennett witches. Jenna said, Salvatore's friend witch always tracked Honey down for him. He could have made his friend witch to manipulate Honey's mind into thinking she loves him.

Don't you remember how much she was crying for my forgiveness here? Salvatore himself told you a few hours ago that not a day goes by when she doesn't cry for us. Our little girl cries for us, Bex. Because deep down she knows that this is where she belongs. I know my siblings I know they would choose me over everything. Like you did"

"I am just trying to save my sister from that monster and while we are at it we will also teach that fucking son of a bitch never to mess with us Originals." He added, wiping his wet eyes.

"I didn't knew this…" Rebekah said, looking down at her lap, her tone filled with utter disgust.

"But she is mated to him, Nick. Mating bond can't be broken" she said, looking up. "and if we kill him… Honey would kill herself. She can't live without her mate."

"I saved Rose. Didn't I? I think I will handle my sister too. I have thought about it. We can't compel away feelings but we… you know feelings comes from memories. We will make her forget everything about him."

Rebekah winced a bit. She couldn't even imagine a life without Marcel. "She will still be restless. Her peace is with her mate. "

"Then we will make her turn it off" Klaus said, shaking his head.

"No. I cannot allow you to do that."

"We have no other option" Klaus said, desperately. He felt red anger again. The Ripper was now going to destroy his sister. Klaus hated him even more. He was an albatross around his neck. He couldn't pluck Damon out of Elena's life without destroying Elena in process. But in his mind, these solutions were enough to keep Elena alive for time being. Later, he would find her a man of his choice. A man suitable and perfect for his sister.

"but Nick she…"

"Would you rather she live with her abuser? Her rapist?" Klaus seethed.

"No. No. Of course, not" Rebekah shook her head violently. "I want our sister safe too, Nick. We have to get her back, please" she begged, tears rolling down her eyes. She was soft like that. Rebekah was made to be a mother but unfortunately vampirism had snatched that ability from her. Her heart was filled with love. Klaus knew she would understand where he was coming from.

He hid Elena's pregnancy news from her though. That would affect his grand schemes of things. That would his plans for the greater good. Rebekah would not understand that. Of course, he was worried about Elena's safety. Jenna had told him a lot of things but she had something else too. She had added that Damon loved Elena with all his heart and Elena had confessed to Jenna that she loved his enemy, Klaus's enemy and had chosen him herself. She had initiated the blood bond. She was not forced. But Klaus, very stubbornly ignored that. Witches Magic. He thought. Salvatore used Bennet's magic to manipulate his sister.

"So will you help me?" Klaus asked.

"Yes" Rebekah said, immediately. Her eyes were still glittering with tears. "And…all this time…I hated her for choosing Damon. How could we do this to her? Nick, we are the worst siblings." She said, dropping her face in her hands.

"Hsshh…" Klaus said as he scooted close to her. "We will save her, Bex"

"I am sorry I doubted you Nick" Rebekah said as she laid her head on her brother's shoulder.

"It's ok, my sweet naïve little girl" Klaus said, kissing the top of her head.

"Did you tell Kol too?" she asked.

"Yes"

"How did he take it?" Rebekah asked, looking up.

"He was seething of course. He was ready to commence attack but I told him why attack when we can lure him to us?" Klaus said with a smirk.

"You will have to convince him Bex to meet you. Tell him to bring Honey with him. It would be three on one. He won't stand a chance. We will kill him. That would be the end of the fucking low life Ripper chief. Imagine, Bex! We will not only get our girl back but we would also get back our honor" Klaus explained.

Rebekah nodded, looking down.

"You will do it, Right? You must do it. For me. For us. For Honey. Won't you?"

Rebekah nodded, almost as if she was compelled to do so.

"Thank you for this sister" Klaus said cupping her face. "You have never once disappointed me. Thank you so much" he said, pulling her into embrace.

Rebekah hugged him back, immediately. "Of course, Anything for family Nick"

* * *

It started from how she was mortal and how she should take care of herself. Like always one thing led to another and somehow Elena and Damon had decided that since she was pregnant and she no longer had her vampire strength and in case of emergency if somehow Damon or Bonnie or Stefan or any of Ripper wasn't present to defend her, she needed to learn to defend herself. She couldn't move much but she should learn to use a weapon.

"I want to learn how to throw vervain grenades" Elena insisted.

"Baby vamp, let's start with something small." He said hesitantly as he took the grenade from her hand and placed it back in the shelf of their inventory.

"How about you learn to use a gun instead?" he said, taking out a suitable gun.

"A gun? Really a gun! Damon…I don't think vampires…" she trailed off when her mate took out case of wooden bullets.

"Soaked in vervain" Damon added, with a smirk. "My invention" he added, proudly.

"Do you have any experience with gun?" he asked her. "Any idea how to aim?"

"I used to play laser tag with Ko…with someone. Does that count?" she said, attempting to smile but failing miserably. Even the thought of them tortured her. She missed them so much.

"It's okay, you're going to be fine," he whispered, seeing the pained look in her eyes as she stared back at him. Her pain was his pain.

"Forget it. What were you saying?" she asked, attempting to smile again. He tried to smile back. Times like this when she felt guilty for even missing her family. Her pain made her mate miserable and she hated that. He started talking again telling her about how the vervained wooden bullets worked, the whole time his mind was elsewhere, the look in his eyes told her that, he looked at her as if he was fighting with his own heart for strength to do something that he didn't want to do and do at the same time.

"Is everything okay, Baby?" she asked, holding his arm.

"Yeah, why?" he replied, dodging her eyes. Something he tended to do when he wanted to hide something from her.

"So, do you want to try?" he asked.

"Of course" she replied. She always loved to learn new things. Damon liked that about her. His weak doe eyed vampire had so much fire in her. She had once told him she preferred being a fighter over damsel in distress and he adored that about her even though he secretly liked saving her, being her hero. Nevertheless she still needed to learn to defend her weak mortal self in case of emergency (not that he would allow anyone to hurt her).

He led her outside to a corner of the practice ground where all his vampires trained. He ordered a vampire to bring wine glasses from inside the inventory.

"Shoot three out of five and I will take you out on a dinner wherever you want" he challenged her as he signaled the vampire to arrange the vine glasses.

"I will do five out of five but—"Elena said fumbling with the slide of the gun. "How does…this thing… how does this work?"

He let out a chuckle. He stood behind her, placing both of his hands over hers. "This is called a revolver. See this part, it revolves whenever you fire" he said, showing her the barrel of the gun. "Now hold it firmly" he whispered in her ear. "Like this." She felt his hands press hers delicately(avoiding the oil burns) as he showed her how to hold the gun correctly. Her pulse kicked into high gear as he pressed his chest against her back.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "Now press the trigger." He ordered. She blinked and did as he ordered. She opened her eyes and noticed the glasses remained untouched.

"I missed" she whined.

"Because your eyes were closed, Baby Vamp" he said, rolling his eyes. "Try with your eyes open this time" he said as he placed his hands directly over hers and made the correct aim.

"Be calm. Think of it as yourself as the bullet. Aim at the glass" he instructed in his chief tone. "Fire" he ordered.

She fired. She missed again. Elena groaned in frustration. "I missed again"

"but you were closer" he encouraged her. "Were your eyes open this time?"

"A bit"

He chuckled. The girl wasn't just made for holding deadly weapons. She was not made to hurt anyone.

They practiced over and over again. "Baby vamp! The fucking barrel…" he said annoyed when she forgot again. "Always reload instantly so you're ready for emergency" he advised, trying to stay calm. It wasn't like he wasn't a good teacher but he was short tempered.

"It takes time" she spat at him.

Also, she always talked back. His other students never dared too but since Elena was his mate, the mother of his child, the reason of his existence so she had that leverage. Others didn't. No matter how much Rippers disliked Elena they liked it when she was on practice ground. She could talk back to their short tempered chief. And also it was very amusing for them to see him struggle with his anger and act patient.

"I don't think the enemy will wait for you to prepare for your attack" Damon replied.

"Unlike you I don't have super human speed anymore. I am doing the best I can" she spat. "Stop pressuring me" she added.

"Ok! Sorry. Let's get back to practice. Shall we?" he asked.

"I want to try the rifle" she said eyeing the other weapon.

"You're not ready for it yet" he said.

"I shot three out of five glasses. I can aim perfectly now"

"Okay, Fine. But be careful. Unlike revolver, Rifles have a kick. Be mentally prepared. Otherwise you'll have a nasty bruise and I will have to play your nurse again" he said as helped her hold the riffle.

"Sight along the barrel. Shoot only when you're—" CRASH. The blast almost deafened her and like he told her, the rifle had a very strong recoil. If he wasn't holding her tight she was sure she would have fallen from the force.

"WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?" he shouted. "These aren't toys" he added.

"It happened accidently" she replied. And it was true, she didn't mean to press the trigger.

"You could have hurt someone or worse you could have hurt yourself." He seethed. How could she be so careless? So thoughtless? The girl had no regard for her life. She obviously did not understand that her mortal body cannot tolerate even the slightest injuries. And if something happened to her or their child. He would die. Allowing her to be anywhere near weapons was dangerous. What was he thinking?

"I am starting to rethink my decision about bringing you to practice. You're clearly not responsible enough to be even near weapons" This wasn't her mate talking. This was the chief of Rippers talking to her.

Elena wasn't used to that. She was used to being treated like a spoiled princess by Klaus and even more spoiled Queen by Damon. And it didn't help that pregnancy hormones were on drive too. So she did something she thought she would never do in front of the Rippers. She burst into tears and ran toward the inventory.

Damon's mouth hung open. Okay, this was not what he expected would happen. Then again his outburst must have scared her. He face-palmed when he realized that he just shouted at his pregnant mate who was already very emotional.

"Did you have to be so harsh?" Bonnie said to him, angrily.

"She could have hurt herself…I was just trying to—" Damon spoke, embarrassed. "I will go apologize" he said as he followed where his mate went.

* * *

"Elena!"

"Go away" she said, standing on the corner of room, pretending to look at the weapons Rippers had made to use against their enemies.

"I am so so sorry" he said as he flashed behind her.

"No" she replied, pushing him away slightly.

"You were being careless. Those are weapons, Elena" he said, his hands tied around her stomach . "Real dangerous weapons. What if it slipped from your hands? What if you accidentally shot yourself? How would I save you then? Need I remind you that you have a mortal body. One accident and I can lose you forever." He said, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"You yelled at me in front of everyone" she said in a childish way.

"And I am really sorry for shouting at you. Believe me, I really am. But sometimes you push me to that point. You already know that I am already very paranoid that you're mortal. Humans die all the time with smallest accidents. I don't want to lose you, Elena. And when you act this careless…you drive me to madness" he said, kissing her temples.

She didn't reply, still very upset at his outburst.

"Fine. If you want me to grovel on my knees for—"

"It's okay" she said, turning around.

They stayed in there while he apologized over and over again for his outburst. He made up for it by making her laugh by telling her all the comical stories about their training sessions.

"Is this a revolver too?" she said, taking out a gun from glass case.

"Yes but it's used for heavier bullets. Mason uses it for training his clan. Sometimes the wolves can get out of control." He said taking the gun from her to check if safety was on.

"Let me have a look" Elena said, taking the gun from him but he held it firmly, the barrel of the gun pointing at him.

"Baby vamp, I think the safety isn't…" he trailed off when Elena's fingers accidentally brushed against the trigger and it fired on him with a loud BOOM.

She screamed on top of her lungs when her mate fell on his knees from the force of the bullet.

"I think…I think…you shot me in heart" he said, gagging, his hand covering his heart. It came out like a faint puff of wind, and Elena felt her world break in two. No. The pain was excoriating. The darkness was everywhere and she could feel herself falling into an endless void.

"No. No. I didn't. I didn't. I am sorry. No. No." she said breaking down into sobs. "Show me" she said as she moved his hand away from his chest.

Surprisingly, there was no wound. His clothes were untouched too. Her eyes narrowed, puzzled. She looked up at him, he had an evil smirk on his face.

"The gun was empty" he said, grinning.

"You asshole" Elena pushed him away, shouting.

"That. Now you know how I feel whenever you get hurt or whenever you are being careless" he said.

"You almost gave me a heart attack." She yelled. "I hate you. Never talk to me again" she added, her eyes blazing in raw anger at him. How could he be so insensitive? That was a cruel joke. She got up and sprinted toward exit, her chest still heaving with sobs and anger.

"Baby vamp" she heard her mate call her. He grabbed her shoulders, spun her around, and pushed her against the wall. She tried to squirm out of his hold. When that didn't work, she bunched her hands into fists and punched him in the chest repeatedly. "Let me go. I never want to talk to you. Leave me" she ordered.

He knew that he had to calm her down. He did the first thing that came to his mind and kissed her hard wrapping his arms around her. She kissed him back long, hard, and passionately. Her body stopped trembling and calmed down under his touch.

By the time he raised his head again, Elena leaned limply against him, her cheeks still wet, tear stained.

"Never do that to me again." She ordered.

"Sorry. I guess I crossed a line" he said embarrassed.

"You think?" her eyes were blazing.

He smiled and lowered his head until his forehead rested against hers. "I won't be able to live if anything happened to you. Without you there is no life for me. You're my world" she confessed, earnestly. "Please don't ever do that to me again"

Restless. Anxiousness and endless love. That was what he felt from her. The thought of being separated from him made her anxious. Not that he didn't feel the same. His mate was his peace. If something happened to her he would be restless, peace less and damned forever. Not that forever would be too long. He would immediately follow her to afterlife. Going on instinct he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips, quick and hard.

"I am never touching guns again. Ever" she said, sighing, pulling back.

He let out a chuckle and wrapped his hands around her pulling her closer to him. "sorry, Baby"

"You scared the life out of me" she added.

"I love you too" he said, smugly earning himself a glare from her.

"Is everything alright?" They heard Bonnie's voice from distant. "We heard an explosion"

"All okay" Damon replied.

"I thought she shot you" Stefan said with a chuckle, his footsteps drawing closer along with Bonnie's.

"she tried" Damon replied with a smirk.

Elena immediately pushed him, frowning. Damon wagged his eyebrows and laughed at her reaction.

"Asshole"

" That's Mr. Asshole to you, Vamp wifey" he replied, proudly.

"Unbelievable" she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Alaric called he wanted you to meet him immediately" Bonnie interrupted them before their argument could continue. God, these two could argue for days.

"Okay, tell him I will be there in a while" Damon said, dismissing them.

"Now" Bonnie added.

"but I promised my mate I would take her to dinner" he said looking at Elena.

"It's okay. Alaric must have something important to tell you if he told you to come immediately" she said, smiling softly. "We will just go tomorrow"

Damon looked hesitant. He had promised her and he always fulfilled his promises. "Fine" he muttered when Elena pushed him slightly. "But I have to drop my mate home first"

"I will take her home" Stefan said.

"No" Damon immediately replied. He still felt uncomfortable leaving Elena with Stefan. Not because he didn't trust them but because Stefan had once threatened his mate and even man handled her. He still hadn't forgiven Stefan for that, no matter what the reason.

"It's okay" Elena said.

"Are you sure?" Damon said, unsure.

"Yes" she replied. "Now go"

She headed for the door with Stefan but her mate caught her wrist and spun her round to him and kissed her cheek before planting a firm kiss on her mouth. A smile lit up on her face like sunshine breaking through the cloud.

"Oh for the love of God" Stefan groaned in frustration.

"Be safe" Damon instructed her before letting her go.

* * *

"What's up? Sulking Beauty!" Stefan asked when Elena kept quite throughout the way.

"I think Damon is hiding something from me"

"Maybe he is cheating…" Stefan said with a smirk. Elena glared at him. "It's not that. His thoughts has been really disturbed lately. I feel as if he is struggling with something… something he doesn't want to do and do at the same time"

Stefan looked at her, his eyes narrowed. "You can read his mind?" he asked incredulously.

"Nah! Mating bond doesn't work that way. I hear… whispers. Sometimes, when his guard is down I feel as if he is planning something. Something he is afraid to do but he wants to do" Elena said.

"Don't get worked up over anything, Girl" Stefan said as he stopped the car. "He is the chief. He is always scheming and it would be better if you stay out of his head" Stefan said as he flashed to her side and opened the door.

Elena should have been offended but she didn't. By now, she knew Stefan, the Ripper chief's spoiled brother was just looking out for his elder brother. Both of them were awfully protective of each other.

"Careful" he muttered as he helped her out of the car.

"You're really protective of Damon. Aren't you?" she asked.

"Of course. He is my only family. Despite being clever, he is rash and very impulsive. And oh very over confident. He thinks he can do no wrong. Even though he is short tempered, he has a very kind and forgiving heart. All of that combination is fucking dangerous and it makes him a danger to his own self." Stefan stopped, opening the door for her. "So I have to look out for him"

"He does forgive quick" Elena said, smiling. Oh how she adored her mate.

"Of course, you and I are a living proof" Stefan replied as he helped her sit on couch. "Not sure if you know about Katherine, the she devil that fucking…I mean… he sent"

"I… I don't know much about that" Elena said, puzzled. "Tell me"

"Some other time" Stefan said, shaking his head. They sat together and made small talk. Ever since she had gotten pregnant Stefan was softer with her. He had even confessed it to her that he was really looking forward to hold his nephew(Again "it could be a girl" Elena eye rolls to which Stefan told her the story of Salvatore curse)

"Your sunlight ring, it looks old" Stefan said changing the topic.

Elena's eyes darted to her ring. The ring was made by her sister for her. Rebekah was an expert in jewelry designing. She could make most beautiful rings. "My sister made that for me" Elena whispered, sadness seeping in her tone. At that time, Stefan understood what Damon meant. There was so much restlessness in her eyes, so much sadness that even he felt the need to comfort her.

"Maybe you'll get a new ring soon" Stefan said as if telling her hint to a secret. Elena's eyes narrowed in confusion. Just then the door opened and her mate walked in. "Back so soon" Stefan said.

"Enzo found Kai but he refuses to come here so we will have to go meet him ourselves" Damon said as he made his way to living room. "Aren't we cozy?" Damon said eyeing her and Stefan playfully hiding his discomfort. "Shut up" Elena said throwing cushion at him. He laughed sitting on the arm of couch. "Did you take your vitamins?" he asked, circling one arm around her, possessively, dropping a kiss on her head.

Elena shook her head, sheepishly. He rolled his eyes and flashed to kitchen. Stefan followed him.

"I share something with you and you can't even keep that a secret." Damon whispered as he took out two tablets.

"I want to hint her that you will be popping up the big question soon" Stefan said with a smirk. "Mum's ring is still in your pocket. I can see it" Just a day ago Damon had shared with Stefan that even though he and Elena were mates, bonded for life by vampire law, he wanted to marry her. _She is my soul mate. We are going to have a child. We are going to become a family anyway so why not make it official?_ He had said to Stefan last night to which Stefan agreed by giving him their mother's ring.

"Shh…hshhh" Damon silenced him. "She will hear you"

"So when?" Stefan asked.

"None of your fucking business" Damon said as he poured water in a glass.

"She also told me that lately you have been scheming something. Apparently your mind can't mask it's thoughts from her. What is it? Damon. You're not planning on making peace with her family. Are you?" Stefan asked, curiously.

Damon looked baffled. Of course, not. He would never do that. It was out of question. But Stefan was close.

"Really?" Damon said as if the very thought was a joke.

Stefan shrugged. "No. No, I'm not. How can you even think that? I have not forgotten what they did to us" Damon said dodging Stefan's eyes, a think he did whenever he lied.

Stefan's eyes narrowed further, suspicious.

"Damon?" Elena's voice came from living room. "Did you find my medicines or do you need my help to find them?"

"Found out, baby" he replied as he picked up the tray and flashed back.

* * *

Another memory. Today, Damon saw a memory of Elena copying her sister's cooking style by hosting a thanks giving dinner. Needless to say it had turned out a disaster but her brothers and Rebekah praised her none the less. Kol even bought her a car as a gift. She had woken up and rushed to washroom, pretending that she wanted to wash her face but he could hear her muffed sobs.

Rebekah had been calling him ever since that day when he had begged her to meet Elena. It made him suspicious and in a way he knew it was a bad idea to allow Elena to meet Rebekah. But Elena's continues memories and her silent sobs were breaking his resolve. And it didn't help that Rebekah was as restless and as anxious to meet Elena.

So after a lot of calls and negotiations' he finally agreed he will let Rebekah meet Elena. "Sunday at coffee shop near the museum in Richmond" he selected the location.

"Okay" Rebekah replied.

* * *

"He was very hard to convince" Rebekah said to Klaus with a smirk. "He is still hesitant but our Honey really wants us. So he finally agreed"

"Good" Klaus said, patting her back. "Excellent work, Bex. You will be highly rewarded for this" Klaus said lovingly to her.

"But…Nick. If…if Damon was really forcing Elena to stay with him. Why would he allow her to meet us? I get it she is sad and upset and she misses us but he wouldn't be going against all the rules if he didn't really care"

"Don't think about that, Bex" Klaus said, making a face. "Just focus on the fact that we will get our child sister back today" Klaus said, holding her hand. Rebekah nodded, immediately.

"He asked me to come to a coffee shop. A public place, Nick" Rebekah said.

"We will go early. I will stay out of his earshot while you vervain him and take Honey from him. You will be in charge of keeping Honey safe. I will be ready, waiting for your call. I will also keep humans away." Klaus went through the plan. "after you call me I will stake him and that would be the end of Ripper chief" he added.

"What about Kol?"

"Kol will be staying here at my place. Someone has to stay back and take care of everything here"

* * *

He drove fast toward the café where his mate's sister was waiting for him. He had decided to not take Elena with him this time as an act of precaution. He will go first. Check if Rebekah was indeed genuine and not scheming and then next he will consider bringing Elena with him.

However he had made a big mistake. Stefan had been tailing him after Elena had slipped that she had sensed disturbance in his thoughts.

Elena had just been back after a week of tiring college. He had left her to Bonnie and left to practice ground for one last call with Rebekah to confirm plans before his departure.

Unfortunately Stefan heard that. _"You don't care for us"_ Stefan's voice rang in his mind. His encounter with his brother had been rough. He felt as if he was losing everything as if the world he ruled was slipping out of his hands. What could a man do more? Keep his mate happy or let her stay desperate and sad and do duty instead. He turned the steering wheel of car and drove to his destination, unaware that he was walking to his deathtrap.

His mind replayed the conversation with his brother.

" _I will be visiting you at six at the coffee shop near the museum" he said, confirming his plan with the Original girl. "It will take me about an hour to reach Richmond so I will leave by five. Don't call or text me before that"_

" _I'm just at the border. I would be there. Just make sure this is a Ripper proof meeting. I am risking my ass here for your mate, don't forget that" Rebekah replied._

" _Certainly! As long as you make this an Original proof meeting" Damon added, threateningly._

" _I will make sure. I give you my word" Rebekah said before she hung up._

 _He turned around and found Stefan standing behind him, seething in anger, looking at him with his piercing green eyes as if he would electrify the information out of him._

" _what are you looking at?" Damon asked, acting unaffected. He hoped Stefan had not heard anything._

" _You might think you can over smart be by putting that innocent act but you need more than a shrug for that brother"_

 _Before he knew it Stefan punched him straight in chest causing him only to stumble a few feet backward._

" _What the hell?" Damon shouted._

" _I know Rebekah was on phone" Stefan hissed. Damon looked around to see if anyone was around and then rushed to his brother. "Stefan! I've got this—"_

" _You've got nothing you idiot. How can you do this to us? You fucking asshole"_

" _Stef"_

" _Don't stef me, Damon. What the hell is wrong with you? Going to meet an Original. Really? God! You've changed. You used to be a roaring lion and now you're just a love sick lost puppy. Look at you" Stefan growled._

" _Isnt it enough that we let your mate live after the treachery—"_

" _You know very well that my mate wasn't at fault" Damon seethed. "but she did it. Didn't she?" Stefan hissed back. "Why are you being so dramatic? I have got this handled. This is just a onetime thing. Elena will meet her sister and-" Damon replied. "No. She won't. She is one of us. Originals have nothing do with her"_

" _You have no say in who my mate meets who she doesn't" Damon growled. "You don't need to worry. I have everything handled"_

" _I do need to worry. Because apparently you're thinking from your dick rather than your mind" Stefan hissed but then sighed. "You're trusting enemy. Rebekah is the enemy. Don't put your trust in her. She is bound to break it. she might love your mate but she hates you with her whole being"_

" _I am not trusting her. I am just coordinating with her to make my mate happy" Damon replied stubbornly. It was clear he had every intention of going through his plan. Stefan knew once he made up his mind. There was no turning back._

" _You don't care for us" Stefan growled. "Well, hear this. I will be telling Bonnie and Mason about this. Maybe they will help reminding you that we are your top priority not Elena. I am not dying for that silly girl's amusement" Stefan growled and left. He still had time to change his brother's mind. His brother was meeting the Original girl at six. That gave him four hours. Little did he know his brother had made other arrangements._

" _Yeah, Rebekah. Change of plans. We are meeting now"_

He felt a sense of dread but he pushed the feeling away and took out his revolver. He had also hidden a couple of white oak stakes in his jacket. He locked his car. He compelled a bunch of humans to look around for Originals (He showed them their pictures to identify). He compelled some of humans to discreetly stay close to him and stake the original girl in case he was attacked. He was going to meet the enemy girl. Of course, he was being careful. He was already taking a huge risk. He had to make sure Rebekah have not called her dear brothers on him. After searching every corner of the cafe, finally satisfied he walked through the glass doors of the cafe. The café seemed crowded. Perfect.

Rebekah was sitting in a corner, playing with phone. She looked up when he entered, her eyes narrowing. He hurriedly made his way to her booth, awkwardly. How do you greet your enemy?

"Hey" he said as he pulled the chair and sat opposite to her.

"Where is Honey?" Rebekah asked.

"Sorry" Damon said, puzzled.

"Elena" Rebekah said, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, Elena's nick name. Cute" he said before he called a server and ordered his favorite coffee.

"Where is my sister?" she glared at him.

"I have to check first" Damon said. "Let's be honest. You are not on my list of top ten people I trust" he added.

She hissed. "That was not the deal. What scheme is in your mind now? Ripper"

"No schemes. Look Rebekah! Let's forget for a moment that we hate... we despise each other. Let's coordinate to make your sister happy again"

"You made a mistake, Damon" Rebekah said looking down.

"Rebekah, she is… she is miserable without all of you and belive me I hate that. I despise that. But she is hurting and I can't stand it. Just meet her once. Fifteen minutes. I will never ask for anything again" Damon said. "I want to make her happy, Rebekah"

"You want to make her happy? Give her back to us" Rebekah said, her eyes furious.

"Where did that came from?"

"Oh! It came when I heard your so called love story" she growled. "You threatened my sister to be in love with you. Repeatedly raped her. Threatened to kill Jenna and Jeremy if she didn't mate with you and finally you made your witches cast a spell on her so she would choose you instead of us" Rebekah added, venomously.

"This is absurd" Damon hissed. "I did no such thing. None of that happened. You don't know anything" His fists clenched so hard it seemed as though his knuckles would burst through the skin.

"so there is more? Torture? Of course!" she hissed. "I also know that five months ago you vervained her and then raped her unconscious body"

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO YOURSELF?" he growled. "It's true. I did vervain her. And believe me I more sorry than you would ever think but I didn't touch her nor did I took advantage of her when she was unconscious. I would never do that. I hold great respect for my mate. She is the Ripper queen. I love her. I would never disrespect my mate like that"

"And None of the stuff you say happened. Yes, I admit I threatened to kidnap Jenna and Jeremy if she didn't go out with me but I did not and I repeat not mean it. I was just messing with her. She knew it. I knew it.

And it's not that I want you to understand but let me make this clear to you again. I love your sister. More than you can think. More than anyone can ever love her. I love her so much that it brought me to the point where I am willing to go against all the rules and beg from an Original to give her the happiness that I can't"

"Oh shut up"

"I admit I chased her like every fucking vampire does when he finds his mate. You know exactly about the demon inside us. You know that it drives you to madness and craves to mark its mate. Like every fucking vampire my demon wanted its mate too but I waited for her.

I did not force her into blood bond. She offered blood to me first. I gave her an out. I told her to run away but she wanted me to mark her. She initiated the ritual. And she admitted it in front of the council. That's the reason they let her stay with me." He stopped.

"You and I know very well that love cannot forced or what didn't Mr. Potato tried to get her to love him" he added with slight resentment to the man Originals preferred for his mate.

"It's Elijah"

"Whatever" he hissed. "The point is, your sister and I have a very complicated story. She lied a lot but she wasn't at fault. I didn't leave her alone. She is my mate and of course I wanted her. But I did right by her, I allowed her to go. I offered her she can leave me and go back to you and your fucking clan with my complete permission but she chose me. Like your sister puts it, We are complicated and messy but we are real" he ended.

"Damon! I am not Elena. You cannot trick me. Jenna told Nick everything. She told us how cruel you have been—"

"Jenna said that" Damon said taken aback, his phone was buzzing but he let it ring. "That's crap. Jenna gave us our blessings when she visited us. She knows everything from the start. I did not force Elena. Countless times, she had been with me before the ritual and I had controlled my demons for her and waited for her to ask me. Countless times she had fallen asleep in my arms and I had returned her to Jenna or in her college days, to her dorm, untouched. Calling our passion for each other rape is an insult to what I feel for her"

"and…and what do you feel for her?" Rebekah asked, hesitantly.

"I feel—I feel like my best and my worst. We have…we have this ability to make each other or break each other. When I don't see her face in a whole day I feel like the day went to waste. And when I see her I feel like I have to give her everything I have. All my love, all the affection, every happiness, everything she desires even at the cost of my life."

"Prove it" Rebekah said, strictly. "Show me?" she said offering him her hand. Vampires had the ability to share memories by contact of skin. Only mates had the privilege to peak into each other minds and hear thoughts in form of whispers without skin contact and distance restriction.

Hesitantly he touched the top of her hand. Rebekah saw it. The memories Damon allowed her to see. The memories he cherished.

 _Elena and Damon were standing on a rooftop watching the sunrise, Elena was laughing, squirming in his arms._ The memory changed. _Elena and Damon were sitting in Diner. Damon made a grasp for her hand but Elena pulled away. "No PDA" Elena said, mockingly._

The memory changed.

 _The very happy couple were playing pool. Damon was teaching her how to properly shoot. Elena expertly won. She cheered happily as he stared at her, frowning outwardly but dazed inside._

The memory changed.

 _He just told her he used to see her in his dreams. She was his true mate. Her blood was reaching for him. She looked around the room, adoring the sketches he made of her. She accepted his love._

The memory changed.

 _She was crying, telling him that she loved him. He didn't believe her and pulled away._

The memory changed.

 _Elena was crying again but this time Damon was holding her._ _ **"Sometimes Older siblings say stupid stuff they don't mean"**_ _he told her but she still cried._

The memory changed.

 _ **"You're miserable here. I can't snatch you from your family. You should go to them. You will be happy there" he said, getting up. "Klaus will accept you. I am sure of that"**_ _he told her. But she clung to him and told him there was no way she would ever leave him. She loved him and he was her family now._

The memory changed.

" _ **I won't be able to live if anything happened to you. Without you there is no life for me. You're my world"**_ _she confessed, earnestly. She was locked in his arms, clinging to him like her life depended on it and he had mentally vowed that moment that he would keep her safe forever and give her everything she wanted._

* * *

 **Half hour ago, Mystic Falls-Rippers**

"Where is Damon?" Stefan said as he barged in, with Bonnie and Alaric following him.

"He has lost his mind" Bonnie was mumbling.

"What's going on here?" Elena said as she got up from the couch.

"Where is your mate? Girl" Alaric asked, strictly.

"He said he had a meeting with you" Elena said, puzzled.

Alaric's eyes widened. He looked back at Stefan. Stefan shook his head in shock. "Call him" Alaric ordered Stefan.

"What's going on?"

"Your fucking mate left alone to meet Originals" Stefan growled at her, making her flinch.

"What?" Elena gasped. So that's why she was feeling dread and disturbance from him. No. Klaus would kill him. All of them hated him. No.

"He is not answering" Stefan gritted through his teeth.

"We have to get to him soon" Bonnie said. "They could kill him" she added.

"No. No." Elena said, cupping her mouth. She picked up her phone and called her mate. He always picked her calls. A fearful dread took possession over her when he didn't answer.

* * *

 **Present time, Richmond**

Rebekah pulled her hand away. "Enough" she said. Her eyes casted downward as if hiding her tears. That moment Damon saw a bit of resemblance of Elena with Rebekah. No, they didn't look a thing alike. But the way she looked down. It reminded him of the graceful way Elena's eyes always casts downward whenever she is overwhelmed.

"So will you help me? Just for a minute forget everything. Forget about out brawls and our clashes. Forget about pride. Just think of your sister" Damon requested.

Rebekah looked at him. Damon was a changed man from the last time she met him. Even though he hated her, "despised" as he said it before. He cared deeply about Elena and was willing to do anything for her. His memories of her had proved that. She also noticed how weak Elena looked in those memories. She wanted to believe the Ripper but what about everything Klaus said?

"I want to believe you. But my blood does—"

"Listen to me Rebekah. That girl is always thinking about all of you. She dreams of the time when you were all together. She is restless, anxious and sad all the time. You think I would want her to have anything to do with your lot. But I am helpless here. I try to fill the void. Believe me I really do. But…"

"Then return her to us"

"No. Absolutely not." Damon snapped. "She chose me. She wants me. She is mine. I am not giving her back until she says otherwise."

"Then I am sorry but I can't help you"

"Please. Please. Elena sees you as her mother. I have seen you love her unconditionally in her memories. Just fifteen minutes"

"She lost me when she chose you" Rebekah said coldly, her hand reaching for her phone.

He grabbed her hand and let her see what he had to endure after Elena became a Ripper. Her swollen red eyes. Her silent sobs. The quiver of pain that passed through her body every time someone mentioned any of Original. The way she would wake up, restless in the middle of night whenever she had a dream about her family.

Rebekah snatched her hand away as if burned. "I am going to propose her tomorrow. But before that I want you to meet her one last time. I want you to forgive her. Yes, that's right I'm marrying her. She will be mine in every way. Our souls are already bound by the blood bond but I would be making her mine soon in God's law too."

"I know this is not the way she wanted. She wanted it to be like your wedding. Yes, I have seen that memory too. I have seen your little sister walk ahead of you, wishing she would look like you on her big day."

"I know…she always tried to copy me" Rebekah said, smiling as if lost in thought.

"Indeed. All she wanted was to be like you. Even though she is perfect the way she is. I have seen the memory when she tried to throw a thanksgiving dinner party just like yours. That's what she said in her memory.

She does that with us too. She tries to copy your recipes—feeding us all with her salty cakes and under cooked chicken and we act like the chicken soup she made isn't puke. We drink it with our nostrils closed and our taste buds locked to make her happy just like you used to do" he reminded her.

"You really love her" She stated, surprised.

"Of course"

"And you're…you're marrying her?"

"If she says yes tomorrow" he said, nervously.

All her life, Rebekah had despised Rippers. Especially after what Stefan did to her. But she could see he loved Elena truly. Nick was wrong. So terribly wrong. Their feuds with Rippers aside, Damon was perfect for Elena. He loved her to complete utter madness. Then the haunted thought hit her.

"Damon! You have to get out of here now"

"Excuse me"

"He will kill you"

"What? Who?"

"Honey will die if something happened to you. Just get out of here" she said, panicked.

He didn't what the girl was talking about but he was about to leave when he looked around and found the café, empty.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of boots approaching rapidly. He spun round.

Klaus was standing there smirking, a stake twirled between his fingers.

"You make beautiful stories, slum boy." Klaus said with a wicked smile.

"You bitch" Damon snarled at Rebekah.

"Nick! What Jenna told you is completely wrong. He does love Honey. He didn't force her." Rebekah said, standing up.

"Gosh! My innocent naïve sister! The man convinced with your stories and you believe him" Klaus said, sighing. "You—diminutive creature—you are really good at this" he said taking a chair and sitting in front of them. After all, he was more in power then Damon. He was eight hundred years senior. Damon alone was no match to him. "The way he turns my sister against me…" he added, venomously.

"Nick" Rebekah interrupted. "SHUT UP" he shouted at her. "Didn't I tell you family first. How dare you defy me? You stupid girl" he added.

Rebekah flinched, backing a step. Her brother could turn into a monster in his mad rage. Klaus got up, smirking. "So you" he said taking a step toward Elena's mate. "plan to" another step. "marry my sister" he said as if the idea was absurd. "Klaus Michelson's youngest sister. The Original Princess... my sister"

Not getting intimidated, Damon stood firm. He was the Ripper chief. Multiple times, he had faced Klaus.

"Yes" he replied, without any fear, his hand discreetly reaching for his revolver. In a Nano-second, Klaus vamped out and punched him in abdomen sending him flying in other direction mumbling something about "forced my sister! My Honey". Damon hit the wall, but recovered immediately taking out his revolver.

Holding it in front of him, he took out the white oak stake. Rebekah immediately stiffened. She took out her own stake from her back pocket.

He was all alone here. And this was two against one. But he didn't care. If he were to die he would die fighting. He would die with honor.

* * *

 **Next chapter:**

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this Ripper" Klaus said, his eyes sparkling as if he got the world. "How long I've waited to crush your skull and kill you as painfully as possible" he hissed, his voice dripping with venom.

"Kill me but remember she will never forgive you for this" Damon replied without any fear. "She will hate you forever" he added.

"She will forget you... I will make her forget you" Klaus said with a devilish smirk.

.

.

.

"Come on Becky!" Klaus said with his leg on Damon's chest. "Hand me the stake"

* * *

 **A/N:** Ohh scary turn of events. But this was needed for plot twist. I hope you're all okay. First of all thank you for the massive support. It really means a lot to me. I cherish each and everyone of your reviews. As for the guest reviewer who had issue with content of story. I have already repeatedly said that this story has content some will certainly not approve of.

I respect your views. You have your own mindset. **But this is a fiction. Only a fiction for readers to read and enjoy. No one is teaching or learning anything from a story of _vampires_ with serious clan issues and family feuds.**

You seem like you're not enjoying the story and you are rather uncomfortable. There are about 50,000 other beautiful Delena stories you could read instead. Please do not feel disrespected, I understand your reservations but I have already given the warning in 'chapter 1' about the content. Don't continue to read if you're uncomfortable.

Warmest Regards and Lots of Love

May

P.s : Thank you, all of you for taking the time to read my work and appreciate it and also for defending the story. I can not tell you how overwhelmed I am by your response. Thank you! Thank you!

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Do review!**

 **So continue?**


	26. All's fair in love and war!

**Chapter 25**

* * *

 **A long wait but 11k words chapter**

 **Angst. Drama and more drama but then again. The Genre is drama so...**

 **Italics are the past parts**

 **A/N: I deleted the chapter and I'm posting it again because apparently their had been some issue in the site and I didn't get any notification so really sorry in advance. Xoxo**

* * *

"Stake down, Damon" Rebekah warned. "I will talk to him" she added, turning to her brother who was glaring at her sister's mate. "Nick! Whatever you heard from Jenna was wrong…"

"He is lying" Klaus replied, his eyes fixated on the Ripper he despised the most. The Ripper that had snatched everything from him. His sister, his power and his honor.

"I saw his memories" Rebekah said taking a step toward her brother. "Honey is happ-"

"Memories manipulation" Klaus said, smirking. "He showed you only the good parts. The parts he believes are true." he added. Klaus hated how easily Rippers could manipulate his delicate sisters. Elena and Rebekah had a heart of gold and the Rippers took advantage of it. It made him even more furious at Damon and more protective toward Elena. Even if his power didn't depend on Elena. He would still never let them be together. This was against his rules and his honor. Especially not now when he found out the Ripper had took advantage of her.

"Nick…"

"Hush, Rebekah!" Damon said with a smirk on his handsome face. "My future brother in law is just bitter because he knows Elena will choose me over him every time"

Brother in law. In his fucking dreams. Klaus thought. As if he would let this filth be a part of his family.

"You son of a bitch" Klaus growled, zooming toward him, launching a fist at him aiming for an uppercut but with years of training Damon had an advantage, he dodged at the last minute, flashing as far away from the unhinged Original chief.

"Stake him, Bekah" Klaus ordered.

"No" Rebekah hissed.

"You're on this leech's side" Klaus roared. "Didn't I tell you Rebekah? Put your family first"

Damon looked around for a way of escape. Fighting two Originals was illogical. Elena's sister was so far on his side but who knows when she turns around. One could never depend on an Original.

"He is Honey's mate" Rebekah tried to remind him. Did her brother forget what losing mate does to a vampire. "This is not fair to her"

"Everything is fair in love and war. And this is kind of both…" Klaus snarled.

"No"

"You silly girl! He is the enemy. He is the one who abused your sister. He is the one who dishonored our noble clan. Honey will be better off without him."

"I did no such thing" Damon hissed, taking a few steps back. How could the Original idiot say that. Elena was his mate. She was a part of his soul. His peace was in her.

Klaus didn't wait for him to finish and advanced at him. This time Damon's reflexes weren't fast.

Within a second, using his supernatural speed the original vampire within a foot of him and punched him on face. Keeping his arm outstretched he twisted Damon's arm in an unnatural position, he chuckled when he heard the ligaments and bones breaking. He laughed and threw the young vampire down.

Holding him down by one foot on his chest, Klaus's eyes searched for a stake. It was about time he wipes this scum off this planet. Rippers had been nuisance for two centuries. Killing their chief would be major victory.

"Come on Becky!" Klaus said with his leg on Damon's chest. "Hand me the stake"

Rebekah didn't have time to react when the Ripper vampire pushed Klaus off him, vamp-speeding away from him as far as he could. But Klaus was fast. With an evil smirk, Klaus picked up a table without much of an effort and threw it at the already injured Ripper vampire.

Before he could recover from the blow, Klaus held him by his neck. Damon didn't waste time thinking. He shot Klaus with his revolver without taking an aim. Klaus staggered from the aim. Normal wood couldn't affect him but it still hurt enough to distract him.

Klaus staggered and fell on the floor, crying in pain. His stake fell from his hand. He glared at the Ripper vampire, dangerously. Royally pissed now. Damon shot him again, ignoring warning pleas from Rebekah.

He took a few steps toward the exit.

Rebekah was at her brother's side in an instant, helping him take the painful wooden bullets out. Klaus pushed her away and flashed in front of Damon.

"Leaving so soon" Klaus hissed, vamping out. Using his years of training, the Ripper chief successfully dodged and held his assailant in a headlock, smirking.

"Let him go" Rebekah spat as she pushed Damon off her brother. Damon staggered and hit the wall behind him. He felt his shoulder bone break from the force. His instant healing started working immediately but he could still feel immense pain in his shoulder. He held his arm, groaning in pain.

Klaus was violently fuming as he stood there. His hand darted to a chair and gripping it. Without much of an effort he broke the chair in pieces. Holding the biggest piece that resembled a stake he took a step toward Ripper chief.

"Nick! Let's just get out of here" Rebekah begged him. "He is Honey's mate. This is wrong"

Klaus's shook his head, a dark look on his face. "I order you to stay back, Rebekah".

"Nick! No. I can't allow you to do that" she said firmly.

"Are you seriously defending this Ripper over your brother?"

"You know I hate him with all my being. I'm not stopping you for him. I am stopping you for Elena. Think about her"

"She is better off without him" Klaus growled.

"Nick—"

"I order you to stay back" he said in his chief tone.

He broke the stake in two pieces and threw one piece at Damon. The wooden piece of stake plunged right above his heart. He screamed in agony. He looked like someone had set him on fire.

"Shit! Missed" Klaus said with a chuckle. Before he could aim again, Damon used whatever left in him. Gripping a piece of wood from the floor, he vamped out and attacked Klaus.

"Stop it! Stop it you two" Rebekah shouted but was unable to move.

Klaus easily kicked him back and throwing him against the wall. Damon's back hit the wall again. He groaned. Of course, he was no match for the Original. He might have some tricks up his sleeves but Klaus was naturally stronger.

Without delaying more, Klaus sprang at him and held the injured vampire by his neck, choking him. "Bekah! Get me a stake. It's time we showed these rat bastards who they're playing with." He stopped. "You played with my sister. You forced yourself on her and then you turned my own blood against me. You're dead, Ripper. DEAD" Klaus said, with each word he spoke, Klaus tightened his grip on Damon's neck.

Forced. He did not force his mate.

With speed of lightning, he plunged the wooden stake that he had grabbed from the floor awhile back and plunged it into Klaus's stomach with full force. As soon as Klaus's grip on his neck loosened momentarily, Damon leaned away and hammered his forehead down on the other man. Klaus fell on his knees, shouting with rage and agony.

"How dare you accuse me of mistreating the girl I could die for? You were the one who forced your will on her by using the damn sire bond on her" The Ripper chief said as he plunged another stake in the Original vampire's shoulder.

"and that reminds me" he said as he got closer and kicked him in his already injured stomach. "How dare you raise your hand on my mate? MY MATE?" He could just recall the moment and churn in anger. In a mad rage, the Ripper chief hit him again and again, until Original vampire fell on the ground.

The fucker Original thinks he could do anything. Not anymore. Damon took out the white oak stake from his back pocket. Klaus was still struggling to breath with the wood inside his stomach. It didn't kill him but it burned like hell.

Damon grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall. He collapsed, gagging on the blood pouring from his broken nose. "I will not spare you, you mixed breed filth" Damon said as he flashed in front of the Original, not giving him time to recover. He gripped him by his neck and aimed the white oak stake to his heart but before he could plunge the stake in him, someone, probably Rebekah held him from behind and threw him aside like a piece of lint, snarling at him. No matter how much she supported Damon in the moment, Klaus was still her brother and she will not let anything happen to him.

"Move out of the way, Rebekah" Damon warned. "I don't want to hurt you"

Rebekah took a step in front of her brother protectively, showing Damon her own stake as if warning him that if he took one step closer she will kill him.

By now, Klaus had recovered. He stood strong as if nothing had happened. "Thank you, Rebekah" Klaus said, smirking, holding out his hand gesturing her to give him the stake.

"No" Rebekah refused, her eyes turning soft again.

"Rebekah, stop this madness. He is a fucking Ripper." Klaus glared at his sister. Why was she being so difficult?

"Killing him means destroying Honey and I don't approve of that" Rebekah said.

"Get away, Stupid girl" Klaus said, wearily as snatched the stake from her and pushed her away. She fell against the table from the force, hitting her head in the process.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this Ripper" Klaus said, his eyes sparkling as if he got the world. "How long I've waited to crush your skull and kill you as painfully as possible" he hissed, his voice dripping with venom.

"Kill me but remember she will never forgive you for this" Damon replied without any fear. "She will hate you forever" he added.

"She will forget you... I will make her forget you" Klaus said with a devilish smirk. He had a little trick called "compulsion" up his sleeve.

"We are bound by the mating bond, Klaus. Even if you kill me you will gain nothing. Not Elena and certainly not what you're so desperately after. My clan will keep _them_ safe"

"We will see about that" Klaus said with a smirk. He knew what Damon was referring to. With a flash, he threw the vampire across the hall, away from exit. He liked playing with his prey before going for a kill. He could easily pull his heart out but that would mean instant death and he wanted the Ripper who stole his sister and humiliated him to feel as much as pain as possible before he took his final breath. The burn from the wooden stake would assure him his sweet revenge.

"Stop it, Nick" Rebekah said, trying to defend the Ripper, getting in his way.

"Rebekah, you're wasting my time" Klaus shouted at her. "GET OUT OF THE WAY. DON'T INTERFERE. STAY OUT OF IT" he ordered. Rebekah didn't understand what happened to her. Unwillingly she moved out of his way. Uncertain. Confused. What was happening to her?

"I see…" Damon said, panting against the counter. "You have her under your little mind control bond too…huh…pathetic."

Rebekah's eyes flashed. What does that mean? What

"It's called careful thinking and strategy." Klaus said, moving toward him, picking up a chair and breaking it into pieces to make a sharp stake. Despite the injuries Damon was about to flash away when Klaus threw the wooden stake at his leg. It struck him near the ankle, plunging deep inside. The pain was indescribable. He toppled and fell on the ground. A rush of pain shot through his body as the wooden stake sliced a deep gash, burning his insides.

Ignoring Rebekah's screams begging Klaus to stop, Klaus advanced on him. "Messed with the wrong vampire for a century, kid" he let out a self-satisfied chuckle as he gripped the vampire from his neck. "See you in hell" Klaus said as he lifted his stake aiming at his heart. Before it could plunge inside the Ripper chief and finish him forever, the stake magically broke in half.

Puzzled, Klaus looked at it. His ears picked up the sound of footsteps rushing. It all happened in seconds. One moment he was holding the Ripper chief down and the next moment a mind numbing pain took over his sense and he found himself against the wall pinned by the other Ripper, the Ripper he despised the second most. "Stefan" he choked as the pain faded away.

"What? The party is over" he said looking around.

Damon rolled his eyes. "How did you even find me?"

"Locater spell" Stefan muttered, not in mood to converse with his brother at all.

"Stefan! Leave him" Rebekah shouted from distance. She still couldn't move. Klaus's orders were specific. Stay away. Don't interfere. She couldn't help him.

Klaus kicked him away, vamping out, snarling. Damon was at his brother's side in an instant.

"Tables have turned, Klaus" he said, smirking. "Let's see how you get out of this"

"One Lion is enough to eat a pack of wolves"

"Classic" Damon praised him as Stefan handed him a gun. "but you know what they say? A lion maybe stronger but a wolf doesn't jump hoops" he added as he shot Klaus in the leg just like Klaus did to him a few moments ago.

"Damon! Stop it. Honey will never approve of this" Rebekah reminded him. He didn't care now. Screw Rebekah and Klaus.

Klaus growled. Pissed at the two young vampires. He vamped out and was about to launch at them when a mind numbing pain hit him. He fell on his knees, shouting in agony.

Rebekah's eyes darted to the witch behind the Rippers glaring at her brother, her eyes fixated on Klaus. By Klaus's order she couldn't interfere but she found another way. She flashed back and picked up a coffee mug and threw at the witch with full force. In an instant Stefan was in front of the witch. The coffee mug hit him and broke into several pieces.

"Bekah! Help" Klaus shouted.

"Shit" Damon muttered as he kicked the Original chief.

"Damon let him go" Rebekah said, released from Klaus's order. "Tell your witch to stop NOW" she added, dangerously.

"We have plenty of white oak stakes. So unless you don't want any trouble, I suggest you back off" Damon ordered, back to his Ripper chief tone.

"Damon! I'm warning you" Rebekah said, taking a step toward them.

"I will hold her. You kill him" Stefan said with a smirk as he stood in front of her.

"I can't hold up much longer" Bonnie said, concentrating hard.

Over confident, Stefan attacked the blonde girl but she dodged him. Her eyes darted to the chair Klaus had just recently broke into pieces to make stakes to kill Damon. Hurriedly she picked up a piece and plunged into Stefan's back.

"STEFAN!" Damon shouted. His focus drifting from staking Klaus to his brother's safety. "I am fine" Stefan managed to choke as he continued blocking Rebekah to reach Klaus.

Back on task, Damon looked toward Bonnie. She understood the signal and hurriedly handed him a white oak stake. This was it. Klaus would be gone forever now. His lifelong mission just a few steps away.

Even with the torture spell the Bennett witch had inflicted on him, he was still sensible enough to know what was happening. Crying and whimpering he dragged himself away from the Ripper.

No. No. No. this can't be the end of Original chief. He was this close to rule the world.

"Get out of my way, Stefan." Rebekah warned him.

"Or what?" Stefan said pushing her away with full force.

Rebekah fell against the wall. Her eyes darted to the Ripper chief who was holding a stake over her brother.

"No" she gasped.

She rose up. Enough is enough. She thought. She was an Original for fuck sake. A couple of immature Rippers were no match to her. It was like Mikael taught them. Feelings hold you back. You will reach your true power once you stop letting feelings get in the way. Her soft spot for Stefan could snatch her brother's life.

Vamping out, she attacked Stefan with full force. Stefan fought back with as much fervor. He was a trained warrior. He was born for killing the kind of hers.

"Hurry up" Bonnie said to Damon. He nodded, as he held Klaus's arm. A dangerous look surfaced his face. "I want to break his bones, one by one but guess we don't have much time" a frightening voice spoke from his mouth. Klaus tried to break away from his iron grip. But Bonnie's spell had made him utterly vulnerable and weak. Was this really his end?

Damon's shoulder still hurt. His healing was working but it took time. That reminded him. "Payback" he said as he turned Klaus's arm into an unnatural position, and a horrible crack echoed throughout the café.

Klaus fell on floor. Hopeless. Vulnerable. At that moment he wanted to stake himself. He never liked being weak.

Damon rose the stake, aiming at his heart.

In an instant, Rebekah pushed Stefan away and flashed in front of her sister's mate. Her eyes flashed with hatred at him.

Damon hadn't even registered her presence properly before she launched at him.

Screams. Stake. And then complete darkness.

* * *

She hid her face in her hands and her whole body shook with sobs. Mason, the werewolf clan chief and Alaric were in the study assembling troops for instant attack on Originals. Lexi, Bonnie, Stefan, Tyler even a very tired Enzo were out looking for her mate along with other fresh vampires.

She wanted to help too. But Stefan strictly ordered her to stay at home and not create more problems. Just two hours ago. Everything had happened just two hours ago.

" _He is my mate. I want to help too. I can't stay here, Stefan" she had shouted at her mate's brother._

" _You want to help? Then stay here" he said, rudely._

" _No. No. I can't. You don't understand, Stefan" She said, reaching to hold his hand. "Nick will kill him. Nick hates him. I can stop Nick. He will listen to me. He is my brother"_

" _Elena if he cared about you he wouldn't kill your mate" Stefan said bluntly. "He doesn't care about anyone except power. Not you. Not anyone. It's a risk taking you out in open. So stay here and let us do our work" he ordered._

 _In a fog of fear and sadness she dropped on the couch. Attuning herself to her mate's emotions she found him alert and desperate for some sort of understanding._

" _Look, Elena! I know that you're worried and so are we and I promise you that I won't let anyone harm him. I will get him back. And then we can both kick his ass for this stupidity" Stefan said, kindly seeing her so anxious as if her world would crash any minute. She nodded, understandingly._

" _Now don't over stress yourself. It's not good for my nephew" Stefan advised before he left. Even though he had promised her, she couldn't help but feel complete dread take over her. She felt it. Something very wrong was going to happen._

It had been one hour to that. She had tried calling Stefan and Bonnie multiple times but their phone was switched off.

Then she felt it. The connection with her mate break. He wasn't there. "What's happening?" she muttered. She tried to search for it. But it was as if he never existed. "No" she gasped. Was her mate hurt? Did her siblings killed him?

"Rick!" she said as she swiftly moved toward the study.

"Elena" Rick said, coming out of the room. "Is something wrong?" he said, worried.

"I can't…I can't feel him. It's like he is not there" She replied, her eyes welling with tears. Anxious. Desperate. Restless.

"They couldn't have…have…killed him. Right?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Rick's face was pale. If she couldn't feel connection to her mate that could only mean one thing. "I will call them" he said as he took out his phone. Elena nodded, trying to stay calm when she was anything but that.

"What happened?" Mason asked, coming out of the room.

Rick signaled him to stay quiet. Elena looked down at her sweaty palms. She denied in her head that something could have happened to her mate. No. No. She repeated over and over again.

"They are not answering" Alaric said in a grave tone.

Her chest heaved with her rough inhalations. She didn't know when Alaric took her to living room. She didn't know he got her to drink water. She was desperately trying to reconnect with her mate. She felt restless, incomplete without the connection. Ever since the mating bond, his thoughts, feelings and whispers were her safety blanket. She felt empty without it. Without him.

With every passing second, she felt her heart drop further. After an hour what seemed like forever to Elena finally she heard the car stop in driveway.

In a flash, Rick was at the door. As mortal vampire, Elena still fed on blood. Damon's blood. So she knew exactly the kind of blood she was smelling.

"What happened to him?" she gasped as she moved to see her mate.

"Elena—he is…" Alaric tried to stop her.

Elena walked passed him to see her mate and cupped her mouth when she saw him. Battered, bruised and brutally beaten. Both of his eyes were horribly bruised, almost swollen shut, and his mouth was cut, the bottom lip swollen. His clothes were ripped and he looked nothing like the man who had picked her from college and drove her here. Stefan and Tyler were supporting his limp lifeless body.

"Wha… What happened to him?" she demanded. She hurried toward them.

"Your sister snapped his neck" Stefan hissed. His mind replying the exact moment that bitch attacked their chief.

 _Rebekah didn't think much. Before Stefan could warn Damon she plunged a stake in his back. The Ripper shouted in agony and fell on his knees. She couldn't give him time to recover. She knew Elena would hate her after this but right now. All she cared was to get Klaus safe. She snapped Damon's neck and flashed away with her brutality injured brother_

"Rick! Get her out of the way." Stefan added, snarling at the memory. They carried his brother's lifeless body to his bedroom. Elena was at his side in an instant, her anxious eyes taking the sight before her. Her chest heaved heavily. Tears exploded from her eyes as she sat next to him.

"He will wake up, Right?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Please tell me he will wake up"

"Yes" Stefan answered as he ordered someone to bring a strong human for Damon to feed on when he wakes up.

Her hands shook as she raked it through his hair. Even with Stefan's assurance, a profound sense of desperateness and restlessness gripped her. She held his hand and found his fingers broken. A whimper escaped her lips. He was hurt. So hurt. All because of her. Her eyes searched his body for more wounds. His kneecaps were busted, and his shoulders looked dislocated. There were huge gashes on his ankles too.

"Why isn't he healing?" she demanded, panicking.

"He is healing. You should have seen him when we reached there." Stefan said almost lost in another world. "Look at the damage, Elena" Stefan said. "It will take a lot of time and blood to heal" he replied. A whimper escaped her lips again.

As his mate, his pain broke her. True, because he was technically dead she couldn't feel it but it still hurt like hell to see him like this.

"He will be fine, Elena" Bonnie tried to comfort her but it did nothing. She was getting more restless with every minute.

She rose up and went to washroom, returning with a bucket of water and towels. "I'm sorry" she whispered to her lifeless mate over and over again as she cleaned blood off his wounded body. His gashes were healing slowly.

Silent tears were rolling down her eyes throughout the whole process. Other than Stefan and Elena everyone else had left the room. She was anxiously checking for slow pulse after every five minutes, expecting him to wake up.

Normally it took few hours for vampires to wake up in case they "die" but to Elena every second felt like forever. With the help of Stefan she changed her mate's clothes, muttering something about how he was a complete cleanliness freak. After taking back the basket to washroom, she came and sat next to him, holding his hand.

* * *

They had been silent for a while now. One or two hours, Stefan didn't keep track. Damon still hadn't woken up. For the last hour Elena had asked him multiple times when he would wake up. "In a while" he responded softly for the umpteenth time. Not irritated at all. Her anxiousness made him restless too.

At times, he would admit he acted like a dick with her. But he had reasons for that. The last time he behaved like a gentleman with an unknown girl with suspicious background he had almost killed his own brother and had become a key part of his enemy's conspiracy against his family. And Elena proved no different. Actually she proved worst.

Katherine was just Klaus's evil minion and Elena was Klaus's sister. Not evil. Just misunderstood. Before the news of her pregnancy he was all in favor of killing her. Anything threatening his brother and his clan should be immediately killed off. That was his logic. But after Damon and Alaric told him about his nephew. It softened him towards her. He felt immense gratitude. She would be giving birth to his brother's heir. He had always loved children. But it could never be possible for him. However his brother's children would be everything for him. Maybe that's what he needed all along. A child to dot on.

His feelings for Elena didn't change. He didn't hate her as much but now he felt it as his duty to protect her. As the Ripper chief heir's mother he had to respect her and so he did. He still didn't believe she loved his brother. She was an Original. And Originals don't love anyone.

His opinions about Elena changed tonight though. There was so much pain, restlessness and anxiousness in her eyes. Silent tears were still streaming down her face. Time and time again she would check Damon's pulse again. Her hand would shake while caressing his face…out of love or out of fear of almost losing him. She would drop kisses on his forehead, silently pleading him to wake up.

Her eyes stayed on his brother's sleeping form. Her eyes were a stormy, filled with pain for her mate, fear as if she had seen hell, confusion, and if he didn't know better, he'd have sworn he saw raw rage. Mates were over protective of each other. They didn't tolerate it when anyone harmed their mate. They wouldn't even hesitate to kill for their mate.

She checked his wrist for the light pulse again. Disappointed, she just held his hand bent down to kiss the back of it.

So much anxiousness. So much restlessness. Stefan noticed.

"Wake up please" she whispered. "Please" she added, dropping a kiss on his forehead, tenderly, lovingly.

"Hey" Stefan said as he went toward her. "He is okay, Elena. Just give him some time. It's only been what-thirty minutes?" he said comforting her. "Are you hungry? Should I make something for you? I don't cook as good as your mate but…"

"No, I'm fine" she said, annoyed.

"Elena.."

"Did Rebekah do this to him? Who else was their?" she demanded.

"Elena…we can talk about this later…"

"No! Tell me? Was Nick their too? Was Kol their too? Who did this to him? And why did he went alone to meet them?"

"Elena, Calm down"

"I will not calm down." She hissed. "They tried to kill my mate. Don't tell me to calm down. Now tell me? Who else was their?"

"Only Rebekah and Klaus" Stefan answered with a sigh.

"And? They hurt him…they tried to kill my mate?" she knew the answer but she wanted to confirm.

Stefan nodded. Elena's eyes darkened. Her chest heaved in spent anger, her hands clenched and unclenched. How could they?

"Damon knew you missed them a lot. Your mind had been open to him lately. You have been having dreams about your family. I guess he was feeling guilty for making you choose between him and your family. And as impulsively stupid he is, he called your sister. I told him not to trust that sl…that bitch" Stefan spat with as much venom in his voice as possible.

"I am sorry for saying this but Originals can never be trusted" he added. "Look what they did to your mate, Elena" Stefan said, angry again. "They know what losing a mate does to a vampire. It makes you lose your senses. It makes you lose your mind. It makes you want to die as well. If they considered you one of your own would they do that to you? Would they subject you to that type of pain?" he asked.

Elena's looked up at him from her wet lashes. He was right. How could they do this to her? Was Klaus, Rebekah and Kol so blinded with their hatred for Rippers that they didn't give a damn about her anymore? She knew Klaus hated Rippers guts but she was his sister wasn't she? Did he hold no regard for her too?

She rose up from her spot beside her mate and rushed to her drawer. She took out her phone and skimmed through her numbers to find the contacts she had not called even once this month.

"Elena? Who are you calling?" Stefan asked, alarmed.

She held her hand in front of him signaling him to stay silent.

One Ring.

Second Ring.

"Honey?" She heard Rebekah's worried and surprised voice through the phone.

"Elena" Elena corrected. They had no right to call her names of love when they hated her so much. So much that they decided to kill her mate. "How dare you?" she hissed. "I can't believe you of all people could do this to me. I can expect that from Nick but…"

"Honey, listen to me" Rebekah tried to explain.

"Is it Honey?" she could hear Klaus in the background.

"NO! You listen to me. All of you." Elena spat. "I know that I went against clan rules. I chose my mate over all of you. I knew you were hurt but I never expected you to stoop this low and lure my mate to your death trap using his vulnerability for my feelings."

"Give me the phone" she heard Klaus demand.

"He is my mate. How could you do this me? I know you hate him but didn't you ever think once of me? I will die too if my mate dies. Didn't that thought once cross your mind at all?" she raged.

"Elena…I am" Rebekah struggled to speak.

"The Rippers are right. You're all bunch of selfish assholes." Elena continued. "and tell that bastard brother of mine that I don't want anything to do with him anymore either. I fucking hate him. Even the thought that I'm related to any of you disgusts me. Especially you Klaus. I fucking hate you so much. You fucking coward. My mate is ten times the man you would ever be." She spat with so much hatred and disgust in her tone.

"Honey! Listen to me…" she heard Klaus now, panic and hurt.

"No. You bastard, you disgusting pig. You did this to him. You hurt my mate? My MATE? How could you, how could you? What kind of a man are you? You claim that you love me and yet you plan on destroying me by conspiring to kill my mate" she hissed.

"After everything I did for you. I saved your mate from the humiliation of coming to the council. I begged for your forgiveness even though I committed no crime and this is how you pay me back. I don't want anything ever to do with you. I hate you and curse the ground that you walked on." She said venomously.

" From now on I will be fighting alongside my mate against you. You fucking selfish monster." She said before hanging up.

"Elena, Sweetheart" Stefan tried to calm her down. He hated Klaus just as much she did now but this stress was not good for either her or the child. He led her to the bed where his brother was still sleeping (dead) unaware of the storm awaiting him.

He vamp sped to the living room to get her water and flashed back. Elena's eyes were still closed. The anxiousness and the pain visible on her face. Stefan poured water in the glass and rushed to her. "Drink" he ordered. She complied. Her restless eyes darting to her mate. She was close to a mental break down if he didn't wake up soon.

Extreme guilt crippled her. Her mate was hurt because of her. Like Stefan told her, he only went down there to meet her sister because she couldn't stop missing them. He almost got killed by the hands of her brother. She could never forgive Klaus for that. Never.

Her thoughts shifted to her brother that she had just declared she hated. Never in her life had she raised her voice against him let alone tell him that she hated him. Klaus had always given her so much love. Her heart fell as she remembered her words. But in an instant she remembered what he did to her mate. Anger flared in her again. No. She hated him.

She bent down to kiss her mate's forehead. He had done so much for her. After everything she did to him. He still managed to forgive her. He still loved her like no one ever did. So much that he almost got killed for her today. He hated Originals yet he went down there to talk to her sister to meet her. Could she ever ask for a better person to share her life with? No. Probably not.

Stefan studied the completely torn girl. He was now sure that the Original girl indeed loved his brother. It was in the way she looked at him. Her eyes fluttered anxiously, looking for any sign of life in her mate. Her lips trembled as if holding back sobs. She was peace less without him. He felt slightly envious of his brother that he had someone who loved him so much passionately. Someone who left everything, everyone for him. So, so much envious.

"I'm sorry" he finally said it. "I am sorry for threatening you and harassing you. I had my reasons for that but still please forgive me for my behavior."

She didn't look up at him. She softly caressed her mate's face "You were only trying to keep your brother safe. I understand"

"And I'm sorry for everything you lost because of us. I can't thank you enough for choosing my brother that day." He added, sitting next to her.

"It wasn't a difficult choice" she said. "I would choose him over the world"

* * *

It took another hour for Damon to wake up. He heard sobs. Silent sobs that he immediately recognized. Elena was sitting on the couch across the bed. She laid her head on the back of the couch and wrapped her arms around her middle as if she couldn't breathe, as if she would crush into pieces if she didn't hold herself. Despair, pain and restlessness was what he felt from her.

But immediately she stiffened, she sat still. Her eyes were glassy as they opened and locked with his. Surge of relief flooded in them. She was at his side before he could even register what happened. "Thank God" she sighed in relief, the concern leaks in her tone. Before he could even inquire why was she acting like that he found himself locked in her embrace.

"Elena?" he asked, alarmed when he felt wetness on his neck. "What happened?"

She mumbled some incoherent sentences, too overwhelmed. Fear, Love and heart-wrenching pain. "I was so worried"

Wordless, he drew her to him, pulling her to envelop her small, shivering body in his arms. She let herself drawn, pressing herself against his chest. She could not tell him how relieved she was to see him alive again.

She drew back, immediately touching his now healed face. "You were really injured. We had to ask some witches to heal you." She mumbled as her anxious eyes examined her mate. "One of the wound was near your heart. It was the deepest one. The wood missed you by half inch" she told him. "Mr. Bennett said you'll feel weak because of the loss of blood…" she muttered. "Stefan! He is awake" she said turning slightly towards the door.

In a matter of seconds, Stefan rushed and got him two strong humans to feed on while his mate tended him as if he had just returned from war. He almost drained the human female but didn't kill her. His mate was pure and he felt unworthy of touching her if he killed innocent life.

After a while, memories rushed to him. He remembered calling Rebekah. He remembered his meeting with her. He remembered Klaus showing up. And then their fight and then Bonnie and Stefan showing up, saving his weak ass. He remembered being this close to killing Klaus off. But then the bitch Rebekah snapped his neck. And he was sure she must have flashed away with Klaus after that. Stronger she was. She was faster too. He was waiting for the scolding to begin but they were all very quiet.

"What were you thinking, Damon? Alaric asked in a grave tone once he was healed enough to go to study room with them where the Werewolf chief, the witch clan chief and his most important clan members waited for him.

"I know what you're thinking…and I know I made a mistake…"

"A mistake. You went on a suicide mission. How could you do this to us?" Bonnie snapped at him.

"I told him not to trust Rebekah" Stefan growled.

"Rebekah was misguided. Klaus had told her completely different story of me and Elena" Damon replied.

"So who cares what she thinks?" Mason asked. "Damon! When we agreed on keeping Elena here. We made it clear that she would not have anything to do with Originals. And I assure you the wolves weren't happy about that but I convinced them. However this is unacceptable"

"Do you expect us to agree on a treaty with Orignials? Damon because that's not going to happen" Bonnie said. "My witches will never approve of that"

"That goes for my werewolves too" Mason said, strictly. "Our treaty stays with you as long as you protect us from Originals"

"I didn't plan any treaty with them" Damon replied, firmly. "Nor I have any sort of that intention. I hate them just as much. But my mate wanted to meet her sister. It was only one time thing. She left them for me. I just wanted her to say Good bye to her sister"

"Damon, she was well aware of the fact that she will lose her family if she chooses to be part of the Rippers. I know that it must be killing her to leave her family but her feelings are not our headache. Please don't put our clan in jeopardy for her" Mason spat.

The argument continued. Mason and Alaric were not at all happy with the importance he gave to Elena's feelings. For the first time, Bonnie and Stefan were against him too. Bonnie claimed that he was being reckless and insane.

"We can't even report it to the council because you were the one who called her up first" Stefan said when Alaric suggested Damon tell the council about attack on him.

Situation with Mason hasn't still cooled down. His nephew Tyler kept bringing up his immature behavior over and over again. "So, will you stop being a Romeo and pay attention to our strategy against Originals again?" he said.

"Tyler, I will castrate you if you bring this up again. Everyone knows my clan is my top priority. Have I ever let my clan down? Protected you all any less?" Damon demanded. And it was the truth, despite his reckless and impulsive attitude he still had managed so far to keep everyone at his clan safe.

Tyler bit his lip, still uncertain. Okay, he would admit Damon had never failed them so far. He was clever and cunning enough to lead them so far and keep them safe. But before everything happened related to Elena, they were planning on attacking Originals.

Would Damon now be able to launch a war against the other tribe? When his own mate was from their clan. Will Elena's tears cloud his decision? The girl certainly held a lot of power on him. She managed to sway his thoughts, his firm beliefs. Before today, Tyler was sure Damon despised Originals and would order them to be thrown at young wolves whenever any of them crossed the border but today he went behind their back and secretly met the other Original sister. Could they trust him now?

The Ripper continued discussing strategies. "We will inform Lord Augustine about this though" Damon said, strictly. "We will train harder" he added. He was going to continue when there was a knock on the door. He knew it was his mate.

Elena had been stressed as hell when he was knocked out because of the little incident with Rebekah. She felt slight pain in her abdomen. He was always paranoid when it came to his mate. So he ordered Dr. Lucy to come and examine his pregnant mate and make sure his mate and his child were both safe.

She entered when he permitted.

"Can I talk to my mate alone?" she asked, nervously.

He looked puzzled. Was she okay? Is something wrong with her? They haven't got alone time since they were back.

"We will continue this tomorrow" Alaric said, allowing everyone to leave.

"Who is on night duty tonight?" Stefan inquired as they walked out.

"Mason and a few young wolves. It's a part of their training" Tyler answered him. They all walked out of the room talking about additional security measures.

Closing the door, Elena walked toward him, looking at him. Her gaze was so tender, so full of love as if she couldn't believe he was fine again.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

* * *

Klaus's eyes weren't tearing. He was in denial this couldn't be his sister at all. She was the one who respected him with everything in her .They had times. Good and bad.

Did that ripper loved her better than he did? She was an object to her parents but he treated her right. Taught her what life was .It had been a month since he hadn't seen his favorite sister. His little angel. No one loved her better than he did. He was like father to her, Rebekah and Kol.

He was reminded of the time when she was a little baby and she played with him. Her little hands used to trace on his face as if she was astonished from his features. He never thought they'd part. He never thought there would be a time when his sister will choose his enemy over him. Proudly. Shamelessly.

He wanted to see her make sure if she's okay. If they treated her like the princesses she was. His soul was restless .He was fuming downing another drink of the vintage vine. But it didn't calm him like it usually did.

She said she hated him . She never meant that he told himself over and over again trying to console himself. He said it once to her too. He never meant it though. She called him a bastard for him?

Was he worth it?

Twenty six long years with him. Twenty six years he, Rebekah and Kol kept her safe. Twenty six years, they had raised her. Twenty six years. And she didn't consider it once. She had only been with the Ripper for like what six month? And she left him for that trash?

He rephrased his question. Am I not worth it?

Caroline could see him across the half opened door . He was never so lost. She felt bitter toward her sister in law. Fine! Ripper was her mate but how could she do this to her siblings? Rebekah had left teary eyed too. Kol had muttered obscenities after he heard Elena's call. He tried not to show it but he was hurt too. He left in hurry as well.

Caroline took steps ahead and joined him sitting on the foot of the bed beside him lowering her head on his shoulder. She felt his dread, his self-pity and a lot of hurt. His pride and ego were hurt too.

He whispers in thin air "She hates me "

Caroline could say he was burning inside "No! She doesn't"

He nods "Where did I go wrong? Care . Am I not a good brother?"

She shook her head "No, Love. You're the best brother." He cared about all of them so much. This was the reason why she fell in love with him. Of course, he was scheming and sometimes scary. But he was furiously protective of the people he loved. And what was wrong with that?

He scoffs "Sure! Doesn't seem like it"

She cups the side of this face turning him to her "She is just confused"

He shook his head tears filling his eyes "She said loud and clear that she hates me, she's against me , that I am a bastard, low life, she...she…"his tears left his eyes he choked on words "She had the audacity to choose him over me, to say she knows better ,indicating I have no value in her life that he...he...he means everything"

She wrapped her arms around him letting him weep on her shoulder. She patted his back holding back her own tears as he said

"I am just trying to protect my family. I am just trying to protect her...I gave...gave up everything. My comfort…and…my rest. And…and she talks back to me for him. I raised her and she forgets that. All my sacrifices. You don't know what it feels like to lose a child. I raised her like she was my own. My baby sister" He pushed his tears away in an uncontrollable burst of rage, pulling back from his mate.

"And here I am, still thinking about her, thinking of all everything we had. She can't do this to me. Can you imagine loving someone this much and then letting go like that? I raised her and now she says she hates me. Suddenly I don't have any fucking value?"

She shook her head "Nick she loves you, she can never hate you. You are everything for her. You're everything to Kol, Bex and Hon."

He breathed "No Caroline. Elena's choices have changed .You know this is her favorite color. She loved it on me. So we bought like ten of these shirts. She hated my old furniture. So we let her renovate our whole God damn house." he said. "She threw my most prized paintings but I didn't say a word and let her do whatever she wanted."

"and she selected that car parked outside. Cause it's what she liked. Will he ever do this for her? Change everything about himself for her?No, he wouldn't. He is just with her because he knows my siblings are my weakness and he is using her to hurt me."

Caroline sighed "Klaus! Damon has nothing on you."

He sighed "No, love! He has everything on me. She went to him. He wasn't here from the start I was! I deserve her. I deserve my sister's complete devotion. She is my little girl that he changed according to his wish by his manipulation. He could have chosen any woman on whom he could express his fucking carnal affection but it was my sister and that points to one thing rivalry- Ripper scheme and war"

They stay silent for moments before he says almost sighing "I once told you I never asked from God for anything." She nodded. He swallowed "I lied! I did ask. The atheist in me broke once on the night when I was going to confess my feelings to you and every time my kid sister got ill" he chuckled almost sadly.

She caressed his cheek "Don't torture yourself " He was hurt and it killed her.

He grins in a sad way "I named her Elena. It means "light" in Greek, because she used to distract me from all these clan wars. From our dark world. A time when my only source of peace was my family. Whenever I got home I'd take her from Rebekah and sit by the fireplace, she had these little fingers ,little and soft and whenever she use to trace them on my mouth, playing with my fangs. And she used to be so amused by it. And that was my best pass time. Bekah, Kol and I enjoyed, relived our childhood with her.

When she got older we played a lot of hide and seek. Her favorite place was behind the curtain. Stupid child. I always knew but I acted like I didn't see her and she was so proud of herself."

Caroline sniffed "Baby don't do this to yourself"

He continued, he only showed his vulnerable side to his mate and his siblings "And just like her name. She was our light. I forgot I was a clan leader. For her I was her horseback ride ,her peter pan ,her superman and no one dare reminded me what I was until our game was over, I forgot all about being a leader, about being the legend lion and ironic is how now she is the one waging a war against me, her older brother"

Caroline rose up as he did and threw the glass at the wall "For that fucking bastard. She told me she hates me. For a guy she met yesterday she forgot me. My love, my time, my sacrifices. She forgot everything Bekah did for her. She forgot Kol. She prefers Rippers over us"

Caroline shook at his flame blazing eyes "The sister who couldn't look me in the eye told me she hates me. Because he is the one changing her. Turning her against me."

She shook "Nick you're scaring me "

He didn't changed or softened "This needs to happen Caroline. It's on now if he wants me to sink to his level I will give him pain to the point where he wishes to die but he won't die easy. I will squeeze every little drop of life out of his body before discarding him to death. His death shouts will feed these walls of my castle and his blood will wash the dirt he threw on me, on my honor.

I promise you Caroline I will make him suffer a death where he will face the humiliation of rejection from his mate . Just like, I lost my honor I will humiliate him such that whole world will laugh at him and his death will be an example to the motherfucking smothers who intend to mess with Klaus Michaelson ever again"

She held his elbow "You're drunk calm down. Don't do something you'll regret later"

He brushed her hand off him "Oh No, Love. My turn of regrets is over. It's his turn. He will regret messing with me "

He cups her face talking in a dangerously low voice "He will regret turning my blood against me. He will regret touching my sister. He will regret the time when he thought it's okay to fall in love with an original ...my sister he will regret being on this earth in the first place." He stopped.

"You know what I have in store for him " she shook her head afraid to ask he smirks "Death. A painful. Heart screeching death. And not the death of pride but of a failure that he is. I will deprive him of his crown, his mate and everything he has. It's not just about power anymore. It's about my ego. It's about my honor. It's about my status"

Caroline swallowed "What do you plan to do ?"

He left her in place taking a step back kicking a vase on the table "Taking what was mine...the reason of Elena's existence. The hybrid baby" He no longer looked the broken brother but a venomous enemy of the Ripper leader "Damon Salvatore you're dead."

* * *

"Are you okay?" She asked approaching him rubbing her own hands.

He sighs "They need more than a neck snap to kill this player" he pointed towards himself ,there was still no hint of a smile on her face that he intended to put.

"Well the chest kind of itched a little but it's.." he added.

She interrupted "Are you feeling better?" He nodded with his signature smirk "Yup" She looked at him from up to down "So it's all healed up?"

He chuckled "Fresh as a daisy!" She pursed her lips "Good" and in a flash she slapped him hard across the face and he moved back trying to recover the hard jaw sting. His vampire hearing picked Stefan's chuckle.

"What was that for?" Although he knew he added "That training is giving you some strength"

She got ahead still angry "How dare you take decisions for me?"She pushed him back with eyes filled in tears. He never could stand her tears. He sighed "Relax."

That got her more fueled up. She got ahead pushing him further and further punching his chest "How dare you put yourself in danger? Who the fuck do you think you are? How will I relax with you screwing things up huh?" he held her wrist pulling her to him "Listen"

Mewling like a cat, she pushed" I don't want to hear a word I hate you so much for this. You're a fucking jerk ! Don't you know how much I care for you? How much I love you?" She pushed him back giving his chest a few pushes, he held her wrists tightly now and pinned them to his chest, close to his heart, pulling her against him "If you love me why are you angry at me? "

She spat loud"because you deserve it. Who do you think you're? Stefan is right. You think you can do no wrong. You're just a fucking 170 year old vampire. You cannot fight two vampires ten times powerful than you. What did you wanted to achieve from this? Is this a punishment?"

He huffed "You're over reacting" She looks up at him angrily and Boy, did she reminded him awfully of a lioness "Over reacting? You nearly died-I nearly died." she yelled.

"You fucked up …You are only breathing because of two people who reached there to help you on the right time. But if they didn't? What if they were too late? Did you think about that? What the hell were you even thinking? You cannot finish a clan war by coffee meetings." she hissed angrily.

"I wasn't there for the clan it was for you Elena"

She nodded, guilt crossing her face again "And who exactly told you that I'd be glad by seeing you covered in blood ? Didn't I clear myself when I said I didn't wanted to meet them? How come you take decisions important as these on your own?"

He sighed "Okay I did it. I screwed up but it was after seeing your longing- "

She interrupted "So what? Who even told you about my so called feelings?"

He pursed his lips" I tuned to your emotions. Your thoughts these days are open to me" Her eyes grew wide "So you'd sum up things this way. What if I think of killing you like I am right now will you help?"

He shamelessly grinned "You're not thinking that by the way." She shouted "Get out of my fucking head Damon. I will feel things it doesn't mean you'll stop thinking logically and use that barely existent brain of yours . They could have killed you. They would have snatched you from me and they intended to. The gash on your chest says that. You have been saved by an inch. Do you realize what that inch could have done to me? "

He smirked "That's what she said" his attempt to make her laugh failed as she shouted at him, trying her best to show him how in grave danger had he put himself in and also trying her best not to laugh at his stupid jokes "You're incorrigible"

She used her anger force to push him away freeing herself from his grasp. She added " I am so done with you." He held her wrist as and turned her around, pulling her to him "Nothing can take you away from me Elena! I joke about it because it is impossible to snatch you from me. I may not be as strong as him but I can fight for you till my last breath "

She pursed her lips looking into his eyes ,her own eyes filling in tears. Pregnancy had made her over emotional and the events from the day had worked her up "You don't give a fuck about me Damon "He frowned "You can't say that"

She swallowed "I will. Because you actually don't. You don't give a damn that you are everything I have now. How could you be so careless?"

He attempted to wrap his arms around her but she kept a distance. "Don't touch me. Don't ever touch me" He pressed his lips together trying to process her behavior. She added "You love to tune to my emotions right? Where the fuck were you in the two most tough hours of my life today?"

He swallowed as she kept going with tears rolling down her eyes "When I thought a million horrible things they could do to you? What if they killed you ?. I never thought you'd be this stupid with us having a baby on the way. You don't care at all"

He pulled her to him in a hug "I care I promise I do. I just wanted to make you smile like before"

She shook her head against his shoulder " I don't want to smile like before, I've changed, You've given me a new smile don't you see that. I can't live where there is no you, Damon " She cupped his face, tears were streaming down her face, as she no doubt was recalling the pain that she felt when she thought she had lost him forever and he would never return. Then suddenly she removed her hands from him, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "I'm not staying here…I am going back to college. You clearly can't think logically when I am here" she said turning around.

"Elena! I am so sorry" he said, genuinely as he held her wrist, turning her to him. Before she could stop him since she was so furious at him, his arms were enfolding her and his lips pressed hard against hers. At first, she wanted to push him away and slap him again, but slowly melted into his kiss breathing in every scent of him.

"I am sorry I had no right" She felt his hand at her waist tighten, and he dropped his forehead down to rest against hers, their panting breath mingling.

She nodded clinging on to him even hardly as if he would disappear in a mist "You had no right. I don't want to be there I want to be here, in your arms for the rest of eternity "

He smiled kissing her forehead " I guess I was still feeling guilty for snatching you from your family. I just wanted to comfort you. Give you a few moments with your sis-" she hissed. "Don't talk to me about them"

"you know what you did was crazy…stupid and reckless, Right?" she added.

"Yup but you're worth it" he replied, kissing her cheek. "the craziness and recklessness"

She frowned.

He sighed " I swear upon our child that I'll never try this again, Happy? "

She nodded, snuggling her nose in his neck, pulling him in a tight hug "I hate them Damon. Every single one of them. They tried to take you away .They tried to snatch my happiness…I can't even tell you what seeing you injured was like " she started, close to breaking into sobs again.

"Hey! Hey! I am fine now. No more tear drama" he said, wiping her already wet eyes.

"I don't care about anything . I just want to be with you. I love you so much. It hurt so much to see you like that" She said, tiptoeing, fevering kisses on his face. He closed his eyes in content at this display of affection.

"I love you too sunshine "

Pushing him back on a chair, she straddled him on the it and ran her fingers through his hair as she kissed him letting her tongue dance in his mouth as his hands caressed her body through the dress. He chuckled "Is it your way of saying sorry for dislocating my jaw?" he said in her mouth between desperate kisses.

She lightly taps on his cheek " Shut up" she said as she continued kissing him. Then suddenly she pulled back. "Promise me you'll never do this again? "

"If I said yes? Will you let me have my way with you?" he asked.

Her brows furrowed.

"Please" he pouted.

"Fine" she said after pretending to think.

"Then I promise" he said with a grin. Without removing his lips from her, he picked her up in his arms and laid her on the table." Kiss me" she demanded. "My Queen gets what she wants" he said, with a smirk as he attacked her lips. She arched up into him as he peppered kisses down her jawline to her neck. A low raspy moan escaped her lips. With every intention of making her forget the horrible things she went through today, his kisses intensified moving from her jaw to her ear. "I think the door isn't locked" Elena whispered.

"Screw them" he said as he continued. And just like that the rest of the world was forgotten.

* * *

Mikael himself had planned it all after Klaus told him everything.

" _How can you let him escape?"_

" _There were two of you and only one Ripper" he growled at both Klaus and Rebekah._

" _He is her mate"_

" _So what?" Mikael growled. "All of you are useless. My children are cowards" he hissed._

" _Elena is right, Klaus. If you were indeed even half a man as her mate you would go down there and bring her here" Isobel taunted him._

" _Treaty doesn't allow us that" Kol hissed._

" _The treaty doesn't matter anyway" Klaus said, lost in his thoughts. "He will inform the council that we attacked him" Klaus said._

" _We already lost Alliance of Smiths and Adames. Everyone thinks we are weak" Kol informed him. "We are joke in council now"_

 _Klaus shook his head. No. No. This was his nightmare. Rippers had snatched one of his most close friend clans too. Then suddenly a thought came to his mind. Ripper's power was with his friends too. The witch clan and the werewolf clan. Surely, they will never approve of an Original as their chief's mate. And especially after today. They should be on edge. That was it he found the weakness._

Very carefully, he signaled Kol and his fellow vampires to take position near the border. Any minute now the wolf chief Mason will come here to complete the perimeter. There were a couple of Ripper vampires also guarding but this time Klaus, the chief, himself was monitoring this scheme.

In a flash, they would kill him and he will turn the game on Ripper. His own friends will rebel against him. Kol signaled Marcel to order his vampires to stay ready to attack as soon as the wolf come close. There were six of them and two Original vampires against one werewolf. It would be easy as hell. Just like so many other times he killed werewolves. Klaus thought. God! He despised these creatures so much.

As soon as the large animal came close, it started sniffing, probably picking up vampire scent. Before it could howl, Klaus launched at him. Kol and his vampires followed, plunging wolfsbane laced daggers into him. The huge animal turned to attack one vampire of Kol's team. It bit him. He shouted in agony but they were all strictly ordered by Klaus to not leave until the vampire was dead.

Klaus's vampire, Rose, plunged a knife in the huge creature's eyes. She was promised revenge. And Klaus never went back on his word.

It howled painfully, alerting others. Klaus heard footsteps rushing. "Kill him, already" he ordered. Klaus's snake like fangs elongated. His clan mates followed him. He raised his head high and plunged his fangs into the flesh of the wolf. His companions followed.

Kol always had an unreasonable fear from werewolves. He wasn't even sure today but Klaus's orders were clear. Kill the creature.

Kol rushed to aid his brother. He flashed to a side of the struggling wolf, with his lightning speed plunging his fangs into the wolf's chest subduing it enough so he too was able to sink his fangs into his neck. It shook furiously, trying to throw them off. "Farewell! Wolf boy" Klaus said as he signaled Marcel.

With his signal, Marcel flashed at its side; he kneeled and plunged the silver tip of the sharp blade into the creature's heart. It stopped moving.

Within seconds, Ripper vampires flashed to the place where Originals had attacked the chief wolf but Originals had already fled, leaving the dead wolf on the ground.

* * *

 **Spoilers**

Klaus threatens Rippers that if they didn't return Elena he'd kill them all one by one

Rippers in panic

Mason's death arise problems with werewolves

Klaus's game plan

I hope you enjoyed...

 **It makes me really glad when I see reviews from people from the very beginning of story. Thank you so much for reading. I'm happy that you're still enjoying the story as we reach the concluding section of the story.**

 **Next update would be quick around Tuesday or Wednesday.**

 **Please review and let me know if you liked the chapter and once again Thank you for such amazing support. You got me teary eyed at one point. Gosh I am such a drama queen :P Again Do review! :)**


	27. I'd withstand all hell to hold your hand

**Chapter 26**

* * *

 **Hello! Is anyone out there?**

 **Due to the problem on FanFiction dot net. Their might be a chance you did not receive an update message for the last chapter 'All's fair in love and war'. If that's the case please read that chapter first and do review!**

* * *

Leaning forward slightly Elena placed both of her hands on the head board of the bed to stable herself. Her mate's hand settled on her shoulders. His breath warmed her left ear before his tongue gently explored her earlobe. She turned a little and found his lips close. As if on instinct her lips parted, inviting him. He didn't refuse. He lowered his lips to hers, demanding entrance. He broke the kiss long enough to gaze into her hazy lust filled eyes before their lips met again in a series of feathery kisses.

He broke the kiss to let her breath. His beautiful mate was very much mortal and he had to be really careful with her. Her breathe heaved. Damon pressed a kiss to her shoulder, tasting her silk skin. So delicate. So soft. He thought as he pressed kisses down her spine. She shivered in pleasure from the contact. His lips trailed up her bare back to her neck. He leisurely kissed and nibbled her neck, controlling his inner urge to fill her with his hard shaft.

Elena's soft mewling, her gasps, her sweet moans were like music to him as she pressed her backside against him. His hands were everywhere, on her breasts, her shoulders, between her legs, stroking, touching her wet core. "You're so beautiful" he breathed as he kissed her shoulders, listening to the soft gasps that came from her throat. She turned her face to him and immediately felt his lips brush her cheek, traveling toward her lips. His lips covered hers again with delicious heat. She couldn't get enough of him and his kisses. She thought as she kissed him with fervor.

"Please, Damon" she pleaded. "I…I need you now" she whispered, pleadingly against her mouth.

"Good" he said in a hoarse tone. "Because I can't wait any longer to have you" he added as he entered her from behind. She groaned deeply as she felt him easing his way in by fraction of inches, almost tortuously. Another sighing moan escaped her when he eased his length almost fully out and his groan joined hers when he slid back in, deep and slow. When she shifted her hips and took him in deeper, she heard his groan again. He exited her completely, kissing a trial down her back before entering her again. Leaning over her right shoulder, he turned her to kiss him as he slid in and out of her. While her tongue moved into his mouth, her inner muscles clenched his shaft like a glove earning herself a moan from him.

They got closer to their orgasm together. He covered her body with his, drawing out every bit of pleasure he could, one of his hand atop of hers where she was holding the headboard for support. His other hand cupped her breast before he found the aching peak and massaged it. With every stroke she felt her release rising and rising until it happened while he chased after his.

He drove in and out of her, penetrating her deeply, murmuring incoherent declarations of love and her name against her lips or while kissing her shoulders. Elena's whimpers for more spurred him faster and before long he was grunting and groaning as he emptied deep inside her.

Breathless in the aftermath, they both fell on the mattress. For along moment neither of them spoke as they waited for breathing and heart-rates to return to normal and speech to become possible once again.

"Wow" he finally said.

"My thoughts exactly" Elena said between panting, her mortal body was still adjusting to breathing.

"We just had two rounds of earth-shattering, mind blowing, , We-are-Kama Sutra-Gods-sex without getting into argument in the last five hours. This is a milestone." he said raising his hand in high-five.

She smirked, ignoring his hand. "Seriously?"

"Don't leave me hangin, Baby Vamp" he warned.

Rolling her eyes, she raised her hand to reach his muttering something about how he always brags about sex afterwards.

"What was that?" he said, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Didn't catch that…"

"How can someone be so self-conceited?" she said, playfully.

"I am not self-conceited. I'm rightly proud of my skills" he said arrogantly.

"Self-conceited and delusional" she joked. "You know it's a recognized psychological illness" she added.

"Woman! If there is one thing I can't tolerate it's someone mocking my amazing bedroom skills. Admit it. We just earth-moving, God exist sex?"

"It was okay" Elena said, hiding a smile.

"Just okay?" he asked, flabbergasted.

"Hmm"

"I will show you…" he said as he got on top of her. Before she could warm him, he pinned her wrists above her head. Months of love making had made him expert on her body. He seemed to know every ticklish part. He nuzzled from the place under her arm and the gaps between her ribs to a soft spot of her neck. She laughed and wiggled under him. "Damon, Stop" she said in between giggles.

"I have a very weak bladder, stop please" she pleaded as his fingers explored another ticklish spot. "Please" she managed to say before she erupted into fit of giggles.

"Admit it!" he demanded, stopping for a moment, letting her catch herbreath.

"Fine! Fine! We had a great sex"

"It was earth shattering" he added.

"Yes, it was" she admitted before he would start again.

"And you love my sexy body" he demanded.

"Yes, I love your sexy body…now get off me" she said, pushing him away.

Arguments, Banter and playfulness was a major part of their relationship. It came naturally to them. When they were together, everything else in the world would disappear. In one of these times, Damon would forget that he was vampire chief in a middle of cold war with his worst enemies. During this time, they were just a couple in love, expecting a child.

Their pointless banter turned to talk about their child. They were both very excited toward the new addition in their family.

"We could go shopping this week and buy some gender neutral clothes for the little munchkin" he suggested, making plans with her. Duties aside, he had to give time to his mate too.

"It's too early for that. I'm only eight weeks ahead" she reminded him.

"No! It's not. We only have thirty two weeks before we…"

"Seven months" she said, rolling her eyes

"It's not much time" he insisted.

"Fine! We will go next Friday" she replied. There was no point in arguing with him. When his mind was set on something there was no turning back. Secretly, she liked how excited he was about their child.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you. Dr. Lucy said she will lift the shield of the child next week. We will be able to hear his heartbeat" she said, excitedly.

"And you're just telling me now" he said, his eyes narrowing.

"I was going to tell you but then I forgot when we you started talking dirty to me and lured me into bed with you" she trailed off. "You seduced me" she accused.

"and you liked it"

"That I did" she admitted.

He let out a chuckle.

"What?" she asked.

"I am so glad that babies don't remember a thing about these times" he said remembering all the dirty things he whispered in her ear throughout the dinner before finally she pounced on him.

"So…we are finally going to hear his heartbeat?" he added, excitedly.

She nodded, caressing his face with one hand.

They talked for an hour, making decisions about their child. Damon had to arrange a meeting with Kai and gather as much information as he could about their unborn child while Elena had another week of tiring college. She had decided to study another semester and then take a break for an year. She wanted to be there all the time for her child.

He reached out to take her hand as they talked. Looking at them, he played with her fingers, then tapped the sunlight ring she still wore on her hand. His mind went to his mother's ring that was hidden in his closet. He could ask her now. To be his completely. Now in God's law too. She will be wearing the ring he would give her instead of the sunlight ring she was wearing now.

But before he uttered the question, he changed his mind. He wanted it to be special. A weekend getaway maybe. Away from all the clan drama. He thought.

* * *

She was sitting between his legs, her back leaning against his chest. Somehow the conversation had turned from making baby related decisions to how she wanted to learn to sketch now. She demanded him to teach her and who was he to deny anything his Ripper Queen wanted.

"See?" He took her hand and helped her draw on the paper. "Keep your hand light. Pay attention to primary shapes. All drawings are actually composed of primary shapes" he explained as he helped her draw a face with a charcoal.

"Let me try" she said.

"Okay" he said as he let go of her hand.

Her first mistake was when she gripped the charcoal instead of holding it lightly. Her second mistake was making fixed shapes instead of connecting lines like he did. But he stayed silent. The girl didn't know a thing about sketching.

When she was done, her brows furrowed. It didn't look like a thing she had in mind. The face of a man she made had a staggering eye brow and mustache for upper lip.

"That's supposed to be me?" he asked, stifling his chuckle.

"I'm horrible at sketching" she said, making a face.

"No. No. Baby, it's perfect for your first try" he encouraged her.

"Let me help" he said as he turned the page of sketch pad. He took hold of her hand and helped her draw a face of a child. Directing the charcoal in her hand to correct directions, he helped her draw her own eyes on the face. He drew and erased, sketched and drew until all the lines connected and light lines fused with dark.

"Done" he said, bringing her hand to his lips before letting go. "Our first sketch of our child. Although I know that our child would be more beautiful than my inner artist's conception" he added.

Elena looked at the sketch in awe. She found a lot of her features in the child and couple of his too. It was like he had sketched his dreams again. She traced the lines of the sketch with pad of her fingers. With every passing second, she fell in love more with the idea of motherhood and the man holding her in his arms.

"I love you" she confessed a hundredth time this night, looking over her shoulder to him.

A shy smile graced his lips. He could be cocky and arrogant all the time but sometimes his mate made him feel like a nervous teenager. She turned slightly toward him. Her smooth fingertips traced his jaw, mesmerized by him. In that moment she felt like she fell in love with him all over again. Or maybe, she was still feeling the after effects of almost losing him. The idea of a world without him seemed like torture.

"I love you too" he said, smiling.

Could she ever get tired of hearing that? Elena thought.

"You know, I never thanked you for this" he said, one of his hand playing with her fingers. "For being mine. For giving me this child. Thank you for giving me so much. For giving me the gift of life and hope through this child. I promise you both-" he said, his other hand lingering at her slightly untoned stomach. "I will protect you and our child with everything in me." He held her hand in both of his and brought to his lips, kissing the backside of it, all the while his eyes on hers.

She smiled at his tender gesture. Releasing her hand from his grasp, she cupped his face and brought her lips to his. She couldn't get enough of him. And it looked like he felt the same, when he kissed her back with as much zeal, plunging his tongue in her mouth in a dance which seem to have no end.

Lost in passion, they were kissing each other senseless until suddenly he pulled away as if he heard something.

"What happened?" she asked.

Damon focused his vampire hearing and caught a few sentences from outside. "Originals attacked…Mason died…"

"Oh no"

"What happened?" Elena demanded again.

"Stay here, baby" he ordered, suddenly serious as he carefully put her to a side and jumped out of bed.

"Damon? Is something wrong?" she asked.

He didn't answer as he got dressed hurriedly. "I think the Originals attacked" he informed, his mind elsewhere. "Stay here. Okay?" he said as he sped out of the room.

* * *

He paced the living room adjusting his better, that's what he always did when he used to be confused or nervous. "Rick! Is it true? Did they really…" he trailed off when he heard a witch squeal.

"This is catastrophic!"

He could swore half the Ripper population had gathered in his large living room like it did every time they had a serious emergency.

"Can someone give me the details of this obliteration? "He asked in his chief voice as silence fell over the place . Alaric didn't look away from the fire place. "They killed Mason, Damon. The Originals attacked on us"

Damon already had knew this but Alaric confirming it really enraged him. He hit the vase near to him on the table "Fuck!"

"This is not good, Damon " Stefan murmured, the only voice following the vase crash was his and the fire burning .

"Of course this is not good. I am going to inform the council " he said almost turning when Tyler stopped him "We already did "

Seeing Tyler made him bite his inner cheek. Mason wasn't only an uncle to Tyler but his teacher too and here at the Ripper's side every one worshiped their teachers. "Tyler, I am sorry for your loss "

His vampire hearing caught the hushed whispers of witches and vampires.

"Poor Tyler" someone from the crowd said.

"Not that it wasn't predicted" A vampire answered.

"I knew they wouldn't stay quiet, after all they are the ever powerful Originals " A witch said.

Damon ignored the voices focusing on what Tyler was about to say.

"My uncle died a hero, Damon "he said almost as if Damon's sympathy didn't matter. He looked utterly infuriated, trying his best to keep calm.

Damon nodded.

He continued "But it doesn't meant he wasn't killed brutally. It doesn't change that he had been attacked off guard with no defense and it certainly doesn't make up that his murder has been just a factor to make you frown. Why aren't you attacking them this instant?"

Damon raised a brow. No one had the guts to raise their voice against him. Rebellions were never tolerated at Ripper's side. He understood that Tyler was in shock at his uncle's brutal death but that didn't mean he could disrespect him.

* * *

She got up from the bed restless "Mason is dead." She mumbled. She knew her brother hated werewolves and until today she never gave much thought today but right in this moment she felt mad at her brother. The werewolves didn't do anything to him and yet he attacked. How more selfish could her brother get? Did he not care about other lives at all?

And why would he? He tried to kill 'her' mate. He was reckless, selfish and heartless. With the thought she got up and slipped into her black silk night gown. She took out a robe and put it on, tightening it around her and despite her mate's order to stay in the room, she went out, looking for him.

Moving toward the stairs she heard her mate argue with one of his allies.

"I know it's a tough time for you Tyler but-"

Her mate was cut off by the young wolf "Yes and it is but we all know what the real problem is here"

She silently stood near the corner of the wall and looked across the end to see her mate talk with the young wolf surrounded by a whole crowd that was silent.

"Tyler" he warned in a low voice

"What? Don't give me that look Damon, you know what I am talking about or particularly who I am talking about?"

"How dare you raise your voice in front of me. Your uncle during his whole service never talked to me in that tone"

"Yeah that's the reason he is dead and cut to little pieces. Someone needs to talk and knock some sense into your love stuck head "he roared.

Damon held his collar "Keep your damn voice low when you're talking to me. Need I remind you who I am? I am your chief and I will not tolerate disrespect."

Elena gulped, shivering in fear now. She had seen Damon's anger. Like her brother Nick, Damon too was very aggressive when it came to his honor and his family.

Alaric got ahead and parted him "Damon, leave him. He is a child. He just lost his uncle. He is in shock."

"No, I am not in shock. I am just speaking what he doesn't want to hear. I am telling him what everyone wants to say but doesn't have the guts" Tyler shouted

Damon gritted his teeth "What do you mean?" Although he knew what was ahead.

"Elena Michelson is what I fucking mean" he snarled. Damon's jaw clenched. Elena could see his muscles flexing, he was putting a lot of effort take control his anger." She is the problem. Ever since she got here. Nothing is going our way. Personally, I think she is still in contact with her family and is acting as Klaus's double agent." He added.

Damon bit his lower lip. Something he tended to do whenever he was furious and was a minute away from lashing out.

"This is what you need to do Damon. Either you have Bonnie modify her memories and give her back to that fuckhead or hand her to us and we will deal with her werewolf way. We will show her brother just how dangerous it is to fuck with Ripper werewolves. "

"HOW FUCKING DARE YOU?" he shouted so loud the whispers that had started with Tyler's outburst stopped immediately.

Tyler didn't look embarrassed or in a mood to be obedient "Yes, Damon. You heard it right the girl is a death sentence for all of us so either we give her back and resolve things with Klaus or we do to her what they did to Mason "

Damon launched at him, his primal instinct to save his mate active but Alaric interrupted again "Damon Don't! "

"Did you hear what he said ? He is threatening me –Oh! I am sorry! He is demanding me to kill my mate. Listen up, Tyler! If you so as much think of it again I will tear you heart out of your chest and shove it down your throat." He threatened, serious.

"I don't see if Tyler is wrong " Rudy, Bonnie's father said from another corner Damon slightly turned his eyes to him as he said "Klaus Michelson is bound on putting an end to us. If we threaten him by using Elena I see a solution to all this. "

"NO! No! No one touches Elena. What had any of this to do with Elena? "

He said trying to make them all understand as the whispering from the crowd grew.

"The Originals were our enemies before Elena became my mate. They attacked us multiple times and this time is no different" he added.

"Klaus is only attacking because you took Elena from their clan" Tyler shot back. "And frankly speaking, none of us are comfortable with the Michelson girl living here with you. She knows all of our secrets. That's dangerous to our security. She knows all of our weaknesses.

How do we even believe she haven't told her brother all that yet? For all we know, she had told everything to them by now and even if she hasn't, with Klaus's sire bond she can blurt everything to him. We cannot risk it, Damon. We don't accept her as a Ripper" he concluded. A lot of people from the small group of crowd agreed with him.

Elena heard them all accuse her of treachery. Of course, they blamed her for the wolf chief's death.

Her eyes were got watery as a witch said "She's one of them, chief! "

"Tyler is right. We can't risk it" Another wolf said.

"They killed one of us and we are protecting one of them. How is that fair?" A warlock added.

He sighed in frustration. Stefan said loud " Quiet everyone. Tyler is young blood. He is hurt. He is not thinking rationally. Look ! The whole idea of Elena being our leverage against Klaus is obnoxious and extremely stupid. Firstly, she is the chief's mate and the mother of the future heir. And secondly, like Tyler said she knows all about us. Our weaknesses, our secrets and our strong points. Handing her over to him will be complete stupidity"

Damon nodded "Exactly! My mate, Elena has nothing to do with this. Her loyalties are to me, her mate. None of you need to worry. I am here to look after you and I will protect you. And I assure each one of you that Mason's death will be avenged. He was a close friend of mine and I will make sure Original pay for their deeds. I assure you that your security is my top priority. I will protect all of you"

"Just like you protected Mason" Tyler mocked. "What your speech actually means is that you have completely lost your ability to judge right and wrong. All you care about is your mate and your child and you're going to keep them even at the cost of our lives. You're not thinking rational anymore. Your emotional attachment to your mate is clouding your judgment and priorities" Tyler spat.

"I am not being emotional! I am being realistic because Elena's presence doesn't affect the way I carry out my responsibilities, Mason's death is a great loss I admit! But dragging Elena is completely unrelated"

Tyler snarled "It's related and you know it. He wants his sister. Give him back the girl! Our safety should be your first priority "

"It is. And Tyler, My Elena doesn't lessen the safety that is being provided here." he spat

"Then why did her brother attacked us. Damon, I won't die for your girlfriend's life and neither will they" he said pointing at his wolves. "The girl needs to die and if you can't do it. Someone else will." He threatened. "That girl is a living threat to all of us"

Elena heard it loud and clear as her mate's clan demanded her death from her mate.

"And I don't care if she has the heir. Bonnie mentioned he will hold very powerful magic. That heir also seems more trouble " Tyler announced.

Elena's eyes darted to her mate, helplessly. His jaw was set, and his eyes were gleaming dangerously as his nostrils flared. Damon felt anger surge through him like lava. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than plunge his hand inside him and rip his heart out. It took all his patience not to rip him into half. What infuriated him even more were the hushed whispers from the crowd.

"He is right" A warlock whispered.

"I've heard the child has been planned by Klaus to destroy us " A Ripper vampire said to another.

"and the chief isn't doing anything about this?" A female vampire said.

"What will we do?" another vampire added.

Damon shouted "QUIET!"

Everyone instantly maintained discipline as he said in a loud enraged voice

"If I heard anyone of you utter a word against my mate then I won't require any originals to kill the very person. You'd want safety from me and Tyler, on the account that your uncle died tonight and you're just lashing out because you're hurt, you are forgiven but the next time you say something like this you would be running around with three legs." He said in a dead calm voice that was threatening enough to make skin crawl.

"This is exactly what Klaus wants. He is turning us against each other. He is breaking our unity. Don't let him succeed in his malicious schemes. We will train tomorrow and after a meeting with council we will plan attack. Now! Out all of you" Damon concluded in a strict tone.

Cupping her face, Elena tried to stifle her sobs. The Rippers wanted her dead along with her baby. She wrapped her arms around her belly, tried to control her breathing, tried to will away the tears. No. She would never let anyone harm her child. Not Nick. Not Rippers. She would die before she let anyone hurt him or her.

Her eyes were still on her mate standing near the fireplace. His own family was turning against him because of her. She watched as Alaric walked toward him and brief him about attack. After a while he added "If you want, I can arrange a private meeting with Tyler. We will explain the situation to him when he has cooled down."

Damon shook his head "His face is the last thing I would want to see right now."

"He is not the only one grieving. Mason was my friend too" Damon added. "But I will not allow anyone to bring my mate into this. She has nothing to do with this"

He sighed" Damon people are talking"

He shot back"So? Let them talk. But don't let these voices get loud enough to reach my ears. That girl left her family for me. She is completely loyal to me. I assure you that my clan's well being is my top priority. I will never compromise on their security. But if it came down to choosing between my family—my girl and my child and them then I don't mind resigning from my post"

"So, In this difficult situation you will leave us for her. You will choose her?" Rudy asked.

"Father, Elena is one of us now. Her relations with Original is a thing of past. And did you forget that she is pregnant? Don't let your hatred for Originals blind you so much."

Hiding behind the wall that separated the stairs from the main hall, Elena pushed back the tears.

Stefan said "No one's going to hurt Elena. Tyler is just in shock so he is lashing out and as for the rest of the crowd-" he shrugged. "They are people. People talk."

Damon turned to him "but not about her and especially not in front of me, not here, not anywhere"

She swallowed turning back to her room still hearing "She left her family for me I'll leave mine if they go against her"

"No one is going after Elena, Damon" Bonnie said. "I assure you that me and my witches accept her as a Ripper and we will comply to all your orders"

"I will keep vampires in check too" Enzo added.

"There might be a few rebellions but it's nothing like we haven't dealt before" Stefan replied. "No matter what they talk, everyone knows that in the end they have to obey the chief if they want to keep their head" Stefan said in a threatening tone.

"Damon is right. Klaus's main agenda is to turn us against each other. We will not let that happen" Alaric agreed. "I will talk to Tyler and make him see things rationally. We will need to hold a meeting with the wolves as soon as possible. We cannot lose their alliance"

That was the last thing Elena heard before she closed the door.

* * *

She dragged out her luggage bag and placed it on the bed opening it and then folding her dresses in them still sniffing, she heard the door open and close and didn't even look up when he said "Why are you packing?"

"I am going back to Duke, to college" she replied.

"but we still have another day" he said getting a step ahead and added"Have you been crying?"

She sniffed folding a black dress "I am fine." She felt his grip on her elbow as he turned her to face him. He looked at her face confused

"I heard it Damon, I can...can't stay here anymore"

"Baby, it's all bullshit, you don't need to worry about anything"he said cupping her face adding"You are more important to me than anyone over here. Mystic Falls isn't worth a hair on your head"

She shook her head "N-N-no Damon please try to understand, I know you don't care but I do! I do care what they think and clearly they don't accept me "

He rolled his eyes "Screw them, if they knew better they would be the Ripper chief, I know what I am doing, you don't need to freak out"

She swallowed thick, getting back from his hold " I'd believe you Damon but they are right"

He raised a brow.

"You went on a suicide mission a day ago. They are right you can't think straight because of me and neither can I, because of you. Us being together means more destruction. I don't want to trouble you anymore-"

He narrowed his eyes "Have you lost it? Baby Vamp, why are you freaking out?"

He tried to cup her face. "They want to kill me? Right?" she sobbed. "Maybe I'm better off dead-"

"Hey!Don't you dare say that" he said, startled but she ignored and continued, panicking. "-But not my baby. I can't risk him, Damon. If saving my child means I have to leave Mystic Falls forever than I would do it"

"Elena, He is as much as my baby as he is yours. How could you even think that I would allow them to harm my mate and my child? " he says aloud adding "Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you Damon but Nick isn't going to stop. He will destroy us " she said with raw fear in her eyes and added "I know my brother. When he sets his mind on something he will do anything to get it. He will turn your own people against you and make them kill you mercilessly. He will use your own cards against you."

He sighs" That wont happen"

"Yes that will" She said. "He already succeeded in turning wolves against you. God knows what he is planning next? He is not afraid of anyone. There is no escape from Nick's wrath. You can't win from Nick."

"Fine" he concluded getting ahead to hold her by shoulders "I will admit he is powerful. There is a chance that I won't win but I will fight. Not for the clan, for you, if he turns every particle in the world against me I know there will still be you by my side and that's all I need to get up on my feet."

She sighed "Damon... I don't want anyone to risk themselves for me. No one needs to die for me."

He shook his head "You have to put more trust into me, Baby Vamp. We fought him for straight two centuries and we survived. Didn't we? Trust me! I will find a way. I will get us out of this one too. Klaus is not getting anything. Not Mystic Falls. Not our child. And especially not you. You're mine. No one can take you away from me. Not Klaus. Not all Originals. Not the wolves. Not even God or Fate or anything"

She was confused and still upset, it was evident by the tears still glistening in her sad eyes.

"I can't do this to me, Damon. I can't stand the pain of losing you, I've felt it moments back and the pain was unbearable. I want you to be safe. And clearly it's not possible with me in the picture."

"Then I won't do this to me either. I won't let you go. I prefer dying in your arms over a safe eternal life without you or my child. I don't want this territory, this crown, these people, not anything without you. Elena, I am nothing without you."

He took her by the hand and led her to the bed, making her sit down, while he sunk on his knees next to her, holding her hand.

"You already have so much on your plate. I don't want to add more problems to it"

"Then just stay with me and trust me. That's all I ask from you." He said, kissing her palm.

She nodded dropping a kiss on the top of his head. He dropped his head into her lap looking pensive. She stroked his hair away from his forehead. He must be tired. Today had been very tough for her vampire chief. Not to mention that he almost experienced death too today.

Damon had not meant to collapse but somehow he found that his head on her knees and her fingers running through his hair brought him the most exquisite sensation of peace.

"They said our baby is trouble" Elena choked. "What if your Rippers harm our baby?"

"And you think I will let them live after that. Never!" He hissed.

He held her face in both his hands, looking into her eyes"They will have to pass through me before they even harm either of you. You don't need to worry, baby. They can't possibly harm heir to the chief. I assure you of that.

I would have killed Tyler for even saying that. But he just lost his uncle so I forgave him. I am sorry that you had to hear all that" he apologized sincerely."They can never turn me against you or our child. You and my child are more important to me than my crown as chief or Mystic Falls"

She got ahead and wrapped her arms around him inhaling from the crook of his neck. He could feel wetness on his neck, his hands run through her hair and he pressed a kiss to her temple "but promise me you'll never let me go, cause that's the only thing that will break me and bring me on my knees to death"

"I'll never leave you, I am sorry that I even thought of that"she whispered. "but believe me I was only thinking about your safety. You're my world, you know that right?"

"I do" he said, kissing her cheek.

"I am sorry about Mason" Elena added. "I don't know why Nick-"

"Mason will be avenged" Damon said, dangerously and Elena did her best to hide her flinch. No matter how mad she was at Klaus or how disgusted she was of him. He was still her brother.

"So, do you trust me?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I trust you, I trust in our love and I trust that we will survive this"she says nuzzling him.

He chuckled "We always do. Don't we?"

* * *

The next day passed quietly. Elena never asked about Rebekah or Klaus and neither did he talk about it. The Rippers didn't bother Elena after that night. However Damon was busy. He had a couple of meetings with Tyler the new werewolf chief and his clan. Somehow they settled. But there was thick tension between them.

Tyler wasn't letting Mason's death go and he wanted revenge instantly. It wasn't just Tyler. All the Rippers were restless. They wanted to avenge their friend's death as soon as possible. There had been a long meeting in the main hall. Elena stayed as much away as she could. The Rippers didn't like her and she kept her distance from them. Her presence was causing her mate problem and she didn't like that. But as much as she didn't want a thing to do with their war she couldn't help but feel anxious every time her mate went out.

Rippers wanted revenge and she was sure her mate was planning one too. She was afraid he would get hurt or worse killed. Her family was furious at him for snatching her from them especially her brother. She was afraid that one day Damon would run out of luck and her brother, the Original chief will succeed in killing him. And Elena couldn't imagine a world without him.

When she told her fears to her mate he brushed them off with a laugh and told her she hasn't seen him in action yet. After kissing her senseless until she was dizzy(probably to distract her as Elena accused) he had gone for the meeting at vampire council with his brother.

* * *

He had never encountered injustice such as this, Klaus had denied all the accusations and requested the council for sympathy as he had just been through "loss caused by Rippers" by reminding that Damon himself did not care for the treaty and mated with his sister.

And at the end he got what he wanted, everyone's sympathy. Moreover he got away with murder as if a hair pulled out of butter. Rippers had been warned by the council to not attempt to "frame" Klaus Michelson without an actual proof.

Damon sighed "I am done with the council "

Stefan was too annoyed "It feels like the council was made for that bastard's advantage "

"Do I hear whining?"

They turned to see Klaus standing, with a crooked wicked smile

Damon was almost about to launch on him but Stefan held his arm saying "No! Don't. Not here"

Klaus scoffs" As if he could anywhere? "

Damon snarled "Don't get on my nerves and head back to that coward clan of yours where they teach you and other scums like you to attack from the back , you are not half the man you think you are "

Klaus sighed taking a step towards them "I won't call it being coward. I call it strategy."

Stefan took a step ahead seething ahead "How about we name it take your annoying existence elsewhere? "

Klaus smiles "You think you're brave… talking to me like that? "

Stefan shook his head "No, I just think I am more of a man than you could ever be." He deliberately said that reminding him his sister's words. They had to sting. Stefan thought and was satisfied when Klaus's eyes darkened with rage.

Klaus gripped him by the collar Damon flashed ahead and pushed Klaus off "Don't talk with your damn hands cause we can do it way better"

He rolled his eyes" Sure, I'll admit on that one and I wish you all the luck that your so called strength saves you when your clan throws you to fire"

"Ha" Damon scoffed adding "Dream on. You have nothing better than these craven approaches you archaic. "

Klaus huffed "You'll be changing your statement very soon Ripper trash. I will turn each and every person in your clan against you. They will kill you for me."

Damon raised a brow "How many more Masons do you have on your kill list? Because I won't give you a second chance to throw dirt on my reputation."

"Your reputation is the last thing you should be worried. For now, I would advise you to run away and hide in any corner of this world and pray to Lord that I won't find you because when I do I am going to crush your skull into pieces and make you wish you were never born"

"You want me to deal with him or—" Enzo trailed off but Damon stopped him.

Klaus turned to go but stopped when Damon said "Whatever you do Klaus. Do remember that will never get 'them' even if you rule both sides of Mystic falls. Elena stands by me now, she loves me and she doesn't consider you anymore. "

Klaus pursed his lips and got ahead swallowing, putting out a smile and he cocked his head to one side

"Oh it's not about Mystic falls anymore, Ripper. Or as you mentioned 'them'. Of course I will get what I want. But now it's about revenge too. I will tear you apart from my sister and erase every symbol of you from her life. I will make her hate you.

I will make your people kill you in the worst possible way and make sure that you die a very shameful death. You will be an example for people who would even think of coming after 'MY Family'

I will hang your dead body for people to throw stones at and you will be in all records of the most disgraced , shameful defeats and after I am done with pouring your filthy blood along the valley of my castle with my royal hands my sister will stand beside me and watch me cut you limb by limb "

Klaus heard Stefan's voice "and when you wake up from that dream of yours, make sure to check if your pussy is still there cause I'll be there to kill you if you so much as think about hurting my brother."

Damon smirked "See! I don't have to compel my siblings to obey me. They do it out of love and respect unlike how you inflict your will on your loved ones. As long as I've got a brother like Stefan, a love like Elena and my friends, you can't touch a hair on my head"

"We will see how that works out for you" Klaus said with grim look. As much as he wanted to kill the fucking bastard he couldn't. He had a reputation in vampire elite and he couldn't ruin it. Biting his cheek, he span around and walked to where Kol was standing, waiting for him.

* * *

In the evening, Dr Lucy, Elena's witch doctor examined her. "It's magic is getting stronger, chief" Dr. Lucy said. "In a number of days, Elena will start feeling it too" she added.

Bonnie's brows furrowed. "but she doesn't know how to control it. This could be dangerous" she added looking at Damon.

The worry lines on his face grew prominent. Magic that couldn't be controlled could turn out to be catastrophic. Some witches that didn't learn to control it on time has even set themselves on fire accidentally. This news wasn't good at all. As the child grew, so did it's magic. Elena was already a mortal. One mistake. One accident and he could lose her forever.

"Can you teach her how to control it?" He asked looking at Bonnie. His best friend was one of the most powerful witches of the world. Surely she could help.

"Of course" she answered. "but she has to have someone with her all the time. In this state she is a danger to herself" Bonnie added.

Out of instinct, Elena's hand reached out until her fingertips touched her mate's arm. She was afraid. For her life. For her child's life. Her mate's hand covered her hand on his arm immediately as if assuring her with his touch that he would never let anything happen to her. He put a strong front. But for the first time, fear rolled through him like thunder. He was afraid for her; afraid something might happen and he would lose her.

"Now! I will remove the shield from the child or it will strengthen will time and will create more problems for us" Dr. Lucy said asking for her mate's approval.

"Are you ready? Baby" he asked Elena.

She nodded.

"This won't be harmful to my mate, Right?" He asked.

Lucy shook her head.

"Okay...then" he allowed. As soon as the words left his mouth Lucy and her witch sisters started to chant spells. Elena squirmed uneasily. They said it wouldn't hurt but it still stung.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked her when she groaned. She bit her lip stifling a cry. The burning in her skin escalated. His hold on her hand tightened. She didn't reply instead she groaned in pain again. "What's going on?" He demanded the witches,worried. An irrational part of his brain thought that his witches had turned against him and were harming his mate because of their hatred for her family. His primal instinct to save his mate arguing him to remove every threat that could harm his mate, his Elena.

"Her defense is strong. She is fighting, Lucy" Bonnie answered.

"What do you mean? I'm not doing anything" Elena hissed in pain. She felt her skin sizzle as if someone had set her on fire.

"Uncontrolled magic" Bonnie said. "You don't even know but you're doing it." She answered. "This was what I was talking about. Look! she isn't even aware of it" she told Damon.

His face contorted in concern and worry. Magic could be fatal if not controlled. He had witnessed a lot of deaths of witches because they couldn't control their magic.

Slowly, very slowly, the pain vanished. She fell back on bed as if all the strength left her body. She felt her mate stiffen. He was focusing on something.

"What's wrong?" She demanded, afraid she would be hearing another bad news.

"Can you hear him?" Bonnie asked, excitedly.

Elena's eyes narrowed. What were they talking about? Then it struck her mind. Her child. Lucy had lifted the shield. Her mate had super hearing. He could hear him now. Their baby.

Elena watched Damon's smile broaden when he heard his baby's heartbeat for the first time. She knew how he felt. It was overwhelming. Damon started to laugh at the quick little heartbeats that vibrated through his ears. Their was a proud childish smile on his face.

"I want to hear his heartbeat too" Elena said eagerly. Part of her was jealous he got this moment with their child before her.

"It's like birds fluttering their wings" he told her with a broad smile on his face. She instantly smiled at him. His happiness was her happiness.

"Okay" Dr Lucy said. "We will need to do an ultrasound for that. You will need to change into a gown." She advised.

Once Elena was done. She lay down on the examination bed. "My nurse Emma here will do the ultrasound" she said.

"Hello" Emma greeted. "This might feel a little cold, Miss Michelson" she said as she rubbed the cold gel on her belly. Elena gasped at the feeling. "Relax" her mate mouthed at her and she did.

She took out a device and moved it around on her lower belly. Instantly the room filled with a sound. The sound of a heartbeat. Damon was right. It did seem like wings fluttering.

The expressions on his mate's face was priceless. A shy smile found the light on Elena's face and her brown glassy eyes locked with his. He loved that smile. That was the smile he had fallen in love with.

And for a moment, they forgot everything. They forgot that both of their families had almost turned against them. They forgot that the world was set on tearing them apart. They forgot that there was someone out there who was presently scheming to snatch their happiness.

He held her hand and brought it to his lips. Miracles were very rare when you're a vampire but they got theirs and Damon couldn't be more happier. He never imagined himself as a father but he loved the idea of becoming one. With every passing second, he fell in love with his mate more.

"You need to set up an eating plan, Elena" Dr. Lucy advised. "The baby is healthy but you shouldn't risk it. Make sure to visit me after every two weeks unless you feel a complication." She added as she helped Elena up.

The rest of the evening passed in routine check up and other questions related to their child. For the first time in a week they went home with smiles on their faces.

* * *

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Damon asked as he dropped her off to her college. Somehow he felt uneasy now. But she needed something normal in her life. All her life she had been locked up. He didn't want to do that to her. He wanted her to live to her fullest.

Unfortunately his demon didn't approve of that. His inner vampire self wanted to lock up his mate in his house where she would be safe and sound. Danger was lurking around her and he didn't like that. He didn't like it when she was not his eye-shot. But then again, he wanted her to have everything in her life so he let her go, praying to anything out there that she would be safe and sound. Not that he was sending her unprotected. He had of course made an arrangement.

"Yes. Yes. For the hundredth time yes" Elena said with a giggle. "And it's not like I will be alone. Bonnie is going to be with me"

Bonnie was Damon's best witch after Rudy, Bonnie's father. Also, his best friend liked Elena. So after a lot of thinking he appointed his best friend on his mate's security much to Enzo's dismay. ("I will never forgive you for this" Enzo had snarled when Damon announced his plan) and Rudy took charge of clan's security.

This decision also caused a little spur in his clan. They didn't like the fact that Elena who also happened to be an ex original will be protected by their witch Bonnie. Also some of the witches were afraid for Bonnie's life. What if Klaus shows up? Will Bonnie be able to hold him off? What if Klaus and Elena kill their strongest witch together? Bonnie hushed them up with a simple glare.

"Do you have my card? Don't forget to pay your semester fee" He reminded her. "Or do you want me to do it?" He asked.

Just a day ago, Elena realized she still hasn't paid for her semester dues. She had always been financially dependent on her brothers as they never allowed her to do a job.

Damon offered compulsion but she immediately denied telling him it was stealing. Then he offered to pay her fee. And just like he expected she exploded. ("I am an independent woman. How dare you?") After a lot of argument she agreed on taking money from him on a condition that she will pay him back after she gets a job post-delivery. He only said yes for the sake of it.

"No. No. You go!" She said "I will do it"

"Okay" he said with a sigh. "Don't forget to take your vitamins and your shake" he reminded her. "and call me daily" he added. "And if there is any problem-"

"Damon, Relax" she said, placing her hand on his chest. Her touch always had a calming effect on him. He nodded.

"There is going to be a surprise for you next week" he said.

Her eyes narrowed, suspiciously. "What?"

"It won't be a surprise if I tell you now" he replied with a smirk.

"Hmm" She glanced up at him and smiled; as she tiptoed to give him a kiss on the lips, that soft kiss turned into a long passionate kiss when his hungry lips ravished hers. She returned his kisses, feeling almost dizzy until they were interrupted by Bonnie's cough.

"Please! Have some mercy on me" Bonnie pleaded, disgusted by the continuous display of mushy affection. Elena let out a chuckle, kissing her boyfriend one more time before she turned around to leave.

Before she could leave, she felt a hand lock on her elbow, spinning her around to face her mate before he took her in his arms and pulled her in a hug. "You forgot my hug" he said, pouting, kissing the side of her neck. She let out a chuckle, locking her arms around his neck and ignoring a bemused Bonnie, she hugged him tightly to her, closing her eyes in content.

Reluctantly pulling back, she finally said good bye to him.

* * *

"Your semester fee has already been paid a day ago" the man on the counter said to her.

"What?" Elena said, surprised.

The man however looked bored.

"Umm...By who? Can you please tell me?" She asked.

"Okay... Wait" he said as he checked the datasheet on the laptop.

"Nicklaus Michelson" he answered.

"Oh okay" she said with a formal smile and rushed out of the room.

Nick still haven't cut her off. She thought. A part of her felt relieved by the news and a part of her felt guilty too. Nick still cared. Even after she told him she hated him. He didn't forget her semester fee. She walked out of the office and headed toward her class. Memories after memories of her siblings rushed to her. She felt overwhelming sadness. She remembered calling him a bastard. How could she disrespect her brother like that. But then she remembered the events from a two days ago.

She remembered her mate's battered face and broken bones. He had almost died from her brother's hand. If Klaus really cared about her he would never hurt Damon, her mate. And who could forget what her jerk of a brother did to Mason. He turned the wolves against her, fully aware that Rippers hated her and could have killed her if Damon hasn't defended her so much.

No. He didn't care about her. She told herself. Forget him. Forget them all. She told herself. Instead of going to her class she went to a corner of the campus and took out a blood bag. Anxiousness made her thirsty.

As soon as the drops went down her throat a wave of nausea brought a hand hard to her mouth. She rushed to the nearest washroom and vomited. This had been happening a lot lately. Her body was used to fresh blood from her mate. Blood bags repulsed her now.

Washing her face, she went out of the room and headed to her next class.

* * *

The plan was simple. Attack them when they least expect it. After the council meeting Damon was sure Klaus had another scheme coming.

His clan was getting restless by his silence. So he secretly planned an attack. It was the night of the full moon. A night when wolves are most powerful. A couple of vampires along with him were ready to attack.

A couple of minutes later three Originals showed up, checking the perimeter of their border for any disturbance.

Damon raised a crossbow and aimed it at one of the vampires. "This is for you, Mason" he muttered as he shot. The arrow made of wood went straight into the Original man's chest.

"Now" he ordered.

The sound of the wolves' howls filled the ground as the pack approached. One of the original vamp sped to one of Damon's vampire standing in front of him. The Original easily snapped his neck and vamp sped to Damon. With the speed of lightening Damon dodged him, thrusting a stake in his back. His brother was at his side in a second.

One of the warlock on his side chanted a spell bringing the all the vampires to knees. They weren't as strong as Bonnie and their magic would only last for minutes but a minute was all they needed.

A large wolf emerged from the bushes. Stefan threw the screaming Original to the wolf. In a matter of seconds the wolf shredded him into pieces.

The procedure repeated thrice. A lot of time, the Originals almost approached him but thanks to Enzo's battle training and Alaric quick moves, one of his vampire would help him. He tackled the other vampire in a few minutes with the help of Enzo. Staking him with simple wood in both legs they threw the Original to Tyler wolf.

After tearing all three of the Original vampires, they picked up all evidence of vampire involvement and rushed back to their border.

A few other Originals showed up the moment they zoomed back to their side of Mystic Falls, cheering and celebrating another victory.

* * *

"Everything happened in a matter of seconds, Klaus" A guard vampire briefed him. "I am sure the chief was with them too but when I reached their he was back on the border"

"We didn't go closer because the wolves were still close in the forest" Another one told him.

Klaus looked sympathetically and sadly at his three clan members. Xavier, Frank and Harry had been with him from the past four hundred years. But of course, they weren't any match to werewolves on full moon night. He was sure his move of killing Mason will turn the wolves against Damon. But apparently, the attack didn't affect him.

The Ripper vampires and wolves must have attacked together. He couldn't even take this to council. Rippers will deny accusation and will use their 'wolf is a creature of instinct' excuse.

He had to do something else. He had to separate all of them. Witches, wolves and vampires. He had to turn the Rippers against Damon. His eyes drifted to a picture of him, Caroline and his darling little sister Elena.

Kol had told him Elena was being guarded by Bonnie, the Ripper witch. He couldn't turn werewolves against Damon but he will surely turn witches and warlocks against him and he knew just how.

* * *

"Elena!" Liv said approaching her. "April asked me to tell you to meet her in the library after the class"

Elena nodded, putting her books into her bag.

"Ready to go?" Bonnie asked her. She was the one who used to drive her around.

"No. April asked to meet her in library" Liv repeated, sharply.

"Bon, please wait here. I will be back in a while" she said handing her bag to her witch friend. "Okay" Bonnie nodded.

"Can you hurry up? April said she wanted you..."

"Okay, Liv" Elena said, annoyed. Pregnancy hormones were really getting to her.

Bonnie's eyes narrowed at the girl's behavior. She knew all of Elena's friend by now. Liv never acted like this before.

Elena walked with Liv toward the library, grumbling under breath. "No consideration of pregnant woman" Liv caught her saying.

"Elena, hurry up." Liv said as they entered the Library hall. It was almost empty. Probably because it was closing time. "Where is April?" Elena muttered.

"April asked me to tell you to meet her in library" Liv repeated confused, looking around.

Elena rolled her eyes and looked around the shelves for her friend.

"April said she wanted me to tell you to meet-"

"Okay, Can you stop repeating-" Elena trailed off suddenly realizing something. She turned around facing her friend. Liv looked around, confused, repeating the same statement over and over again.

Compulsion. Elena recognized it.

Before she could turn around she heard the sound of boots approaching. She spun around and found herself facing her brother, smirking. "Hello Little Sister"

* * *

 **No spoilers for next!**

Of course, things are going to get dangerous for Damon and Elena. Rippers had been very cooperative but even their patience had a limit. Not to mention that Originals especially Klaus has a lot of tricks up his sleeves.

 ** _I hope you're still enjoying the story. I really need to know if guys are liking it?_**

 _Leave me a review and give me your feedback!_

 _Also "AllthingsDelena" has a brilliant story called_ 'Today I Feel Alive' . It's so well written. It's about Delena life post finale. Do check out! You will love it!

And really sorry for being late but I'm really ill and it took a lot of effort to type and edit!

 **Review?**

P.s: Sorry Jess for being so late!


	28. Afire love

**Chapter 27**

* * *

"Nick" she said, stepping back reflexively.

"The one and only" he said, a soft smile playing on his lips as he stepped closer.

"Who is this guy? Elena" Liv asked.

"Thank you for your help, Love" Klaus said as he stepped toward Liv. "Go outside make sure no one interrupts us" he compelled her. Liv obeyed immediately and left, leaving the siblings alone.

Although Elena was a nervous wreck she put out a strong front. Bonnie was in a complete different wing of her college and Damon was a state away. No one could save her now if her brother decided to punish her for her treachery. Unknowingly, her hands wrapped around her torso.

Her brother's attention shifted from the closed door to her. His eyes studying her, analyzing her for changes. Elena backed a few steps away again as if afraid of him.

"What do you want Nick?" she spat, harshly despite her nervousness. "Why are you here?"

"Is this the way to talk to your elder brother? Your chief?" he asked, strictly and she winced slightly before recomposing her features.

Elena's disrespecting behavior saddened Klaus. She had always been a good well-mannered child. Never once did she talked back to him or go against any of his order. And today, it was like she was a completely different person.

"You're not my chief. You declared you hated me and banished me from your clan a few months ago" Elena reminded him. "And I stopped considering you as my brother the day you conspired against 'My' mate to kill him" she added, venomously. She had not forgotten or forgiven that.

Klaus let out a chuckle. Had it been someone else who spoke to him in that tone he would have been dead by now. But this was his darling sister. His darling young naïve sister.

"Just like that huh" Klaus said with a twisted smile on his face. "Six months with that Ripper and you forget all the things we all did for you" he added.

Elena looked down nervously. Guilt and remorse rose like bile in her throat. The man in front of her was after all her elder brother that she had once loved and respected so much.

"It's okay" Klaus said, sensing her hesitation. "You're just a child. Children makes mistake. It's their elder's duty to correct them" he added, caressing her cheek.

"Don't" Elena said, pushing his hand away. "Nick! You went after my mate. I can't forgive you for that."

"He is my enemy. Of course, I tried to finish him. Pesky little stubborn thing though. Wouldn't die easily" he added, bitterly.

Elena hissed. He wasn't even ashamed of admitting that he attacked her mate and he indeed planned on killing him. For a moment, she just looked at him in disbelief.

Klaus focus wasn't on Elena. He was more focused on the sound of the additional heartbeat coming from Elena. It certainly wasn't hers. It was the baby's. A grin formed his face. So, it was true. The spell worked. Not that he didn't know.

He knew beyond the shadow of doubt that Elena indeed was pregnant. On the day of the council meeting he had seen the bandage on her hand and he knew the spell had worked. But hearing the child's heartbeat, he felt like he won another round. The world would be at his feet. Everything was within his reach. Just a little more wait. He reminded himself.

Before Elena could reply to him and describe her complete disgust with him. She noticed his behavior change. Klaus's eyes were narrowed. He was focusing on something very hard.

"Is that what I think it is?" Klaus said as he took a step toward her.

Elena's eyes narrowed. What was he talking about?

He bent down onto his knees and put his ear to her out of tone stomach, listening for some suggestion of life inside her womb. Elena's heart dropped. Her brother could hear the heartbeat. She stood still, praying to God he wouldn't do anything to her in his rage. He hated Rippers. God knows what he would do to her if he found out she was having a Ripper's child. Also, her mate had forbidden her to share this news with any of her family as he thought they wanted the baby for some diabolical plan.

Her brother rose up on his feet, his eyes glassy.

"Please" Elena begged. "Please don't hurt us"

"Why would I do that?" Klaus asked, appalled by the thought.

"Because you hate Rippers" Elena said. "I don't know how this happened. But this is my miracle. I wanted to share this news with you and everyone but…" she trailed off.

"but you're my sister" he said, cupping her face. "and this child is a part of you which makes him one of us. Of course, I would never hurt any of mine" he said, caressing her face. His baby sister was going to have a child.

"I don't know how it happened, Nick" she hurried with explanations. "but it's a miracle and we love him…it's" she trailed off again and looked at her brother. "Why aren't you surprised?" she asked.

Klaus gave her a knowing smirk. "When you're as old as me, you come across a lot of unusual things. This is not much surprising because you're a miracle child too remember"

"But I sense that you're hiding something from me. It's as if you already knew" Elena accused.

"I will explain later" Klaus said with a resigned sigh. "For now let's take you back home"

"No" Elena refused. "I chose my mate and I'm staying with him"

"That's not for you to decide, Honey" he said, shaking his head.

"It is." She said, stepping back. "This is my life. I will make the decisions. You know that's the difference between my Damon and you. He let me go. He told me I had option. I have an out. He was ready to hand me over to you even if that meant fighting his clan."

"I am not in the mood to continue these immature, childish arguments with you. I am your chief. You do as I say" Klaus ordered. "Now let's go" he said as he grabbed her forearm.

"Nick, leave me" Elena tried to release herself from his iron grip but in vain. He was a thousand years senior. She was no match for him.

"Stop being a brat, Honey" Klaus said, rolling his eyes as he almost dragged her out of the library.

"Nick! You're making a mistake." Elena warned. "According to the council I am a Ripper now. You can't do this. Let me go" she said but he very effortlessly led her down the curving staircase, and along a wide landing and into a corridor.

"The council can do nothing to me" he replied with a shrug.

"Damon will never allow this." Elena added.

"Then it's a good thing I don't need his permission" Klaus said darkly.

"Nick! Don't create a scene here. Let me go" Elena protested again as he led her outside.

"Don't test my patience little sister" he spat harshly making her flinch. "You have already caused me a lot of humiliation. It's because of you that we lost of two alliances of two very noble and old clans. You single handedly destroyed our reputation in the council. You chose that fucking trash over your own family. You have hurt each and every one of us. And yet we are taking you back. Yet we are trying to save you" Klaus hissed at her.

"I don't want to be saved" Elena said, trying to yank her arm away. "I am happy with my mate"

"And of course, the sole purpose of our life is your comfort and happiness" Klaus mumbled ,sarcasm dripping from his tone."This is not how it works, Honey. He is my enemy. And you're my sister. That makes him your enemy too"

"You have no say in who I get to live my life with, Klaus. I am a grown up woman. Leave me!" she struggled but he easily managed to get her out of the door.

"Yes, I—the man who raised you, fed you, spent time with you, protected you and loved you have no say in your life" he replied, harshly. "I am not taking your choices from you, Honey. But not him. Anyone but the fucking Ripper"

"You're too late" Elena replied. "He is my mate. I love him and it's only going to be him for the rest of my life"

"We will see" Klaus mumbled under breath.

"Damon will come for me" Elena warned him.

"And I will be desperately waiting for him to show up" Klaus said darkly.

"Did you know what your Ripper did yesterday?" he said, stopping, turning toward her. "He killed Xavier and Harry. They attacked last night. Now tell me did you know that"

For a minute she was shocked. A pang of sadness hit her by the news. Harry was one of Klaus's old friends. So close that she referred to him as an uncle and Xavier was family too. But then she remembered what her brother did.

"You killed Mason" Elena reminded him with much resentment. Mason's death had caused a lot of issues for her and Damon. Rippers hated her even more now. So much that they had even demanded Damon to kill her.

"Unbelievable" Klaus said, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're still taking his side. He is killing your goddamn family and you're still taking his side"

Elena looked down, ashamed. Tears welled in her eyes. No matter who died, it was her loss. Rippers and Originals were both family to her.

Tightening his grip on her arm, Klaus pulled her along (subtly) from the front hall to the exit of the wing. She protested but he didn't care. He was leading her to the car when he felt a sharp pain in his head.

"Ugh" he muttered as he let go of her arm.

Despite their differences, Elena immediately moved closer to him to tend him. "What's wrong?" she asked, worriedly.

"Step away from him, Elena" she heard Bonnie's voice from a little distance before the witch appeared in thin air.

"Ripper witch" Klaus gritted through his teeth, holding his sister's arm in an iron grip.

"I will stake you right now if you don't let go off the girl" Bonnie warned him, taking out stake from her jacket's inner pocket. It wasn't a white oak stake. It was normal wood. But that would be enough to keep him down while they hid the Ripper Queen.

"Your power will drain, witch" he managed to choke. "Then you will be at my mercy."

"I'm not alone, Klaus" she spat. "You think chief of Rippers will let his mate out in open without appropriate security" she added, her eyes travelling to certain spots behind him. A witch and a warlock appeared out of thin air at a certain distance behind him. They looked ready to alert, ready to attack, waiting for a signal from their chief.

Elena let out a gasp. Of course, Bonnie wouldn't be appointed alone for her security. She felt her brother's grip on her hand tighten.

Klaus managed to stand on his feet. Bonnie's spell was weakening him but it wasn't too strong yet. She obviously wanted him to give up Elena without causing commotion to attract attention from humans. The witches behind him were ready to attack too. Not that he was afraid. He could take them all.

But this wasn't part of the plan. The witch, Bonnie, just revealed to him Ripper's security team of his sister. They were of course, Bennett witches and warlocks.

Perfect. He thought. If he couldn't go through with the easy plan of just taking his sister away then fine he will use the other better plan. The Ripper chief wouldn't know what hit him once he go through with this.

"Listen! Klaus, this is not the best place to duel." Bonnie said, stepping toward him. "The council had declared her as ours. Get your hands off the Ripper Queen and leave this instant or we have no choice but to attack" she said dangerously.

Klaus smirked, ignoring the pain in his head. Pulling his younger sister he inched her closer.

"Klaus" Bonnie warned.

"You see that witch Honey" he whispered in her ear. "She is a Bennett. One of the most powerful witch sect in the world. But she is no match to the power your hybrid child holds" he added.

"Klaus! I am giving you one minute" Bonnie said.

"Nick! Leave me" Elena squirmed to free herself.

"Kill her for me, Elena" Klaus whispered. "Harness your true power and kill this bitch. She had been a bane to your clan, Honey. Kill her" he ordered.

"No" Elena gasped. She wouldn't. Bonnie was a friend. A very close friend. She had supported her and Damon from the start. In these tough times, when almost everyone was against them, only Bonnie stood by them. How can she even think of hurting someone like that?

"Are you out of your mind?" she hissed at him.

"You will kill her for me" he whispered. "Use your powers. She is also a supernatural. She is a threat to your family. She killed a lot of us. She isn't innocent. This won't affect the spirit of the spell."

"I will not" she hissed back.

"Last warning, Klaus" Bonnie warned.

"You will do what your creator tells you. You will do exactly as I told you" Klaus ordered.

"Now" Bonnie ordered.

With that a rush of pain hit Klaus and the pressure of it nearly brought him down on his knees. His cries caught attention from by passers.

"What's wrong with him?" A girl asked Elena.

"Should we call an ambulance?"

"Nick" Elena said worriedly.

"Elena! Let's go" A girl, Elena recognized as Bonnie's witch caught her wrist and yanked her away from Klaus toward Bonnie.

"You take her to the apartment and I will inform the chief" the warlock said to Bonnie and she nodded.

"but what about him?" Elena said looking back at her brother who was still shouting in agony.

"Unfortunately, I don't have a stake so we can't kill him now" Bonnie said with venom in her tone, still glaring at Klaus without blinking.

"I will keep him down as much as I can" The warlock said. "You protect the chief's mate" he added before he started mumbling spells.

"Be safe" Bonnie said as she guided Elena toward their car.

* * *

"She is okay, Damon. A little shaken from the attack but she is fine" Bonnie reassured him over the phone. Even after a long discussion with Elena on the phone he still wasn't convinced she was okay.

"Logan kept him down for a while but his power drained out soon so he materialized to bus station. He is fine. Amelia just checked around the campus. Klaus is nowhere to be found. I guess he is gone. They are still out looking out for other Originals."

"Did you—"

"Yes, I used his essence to locate his position. It seems like he is in Mystic Falls now." She replied before he could ask.

"This is not that mixed breed's usual behavior" she could hear Stefan growl on the other side.

"Correct. Klaus Michelson never leaves empty handed" Enzo added.

"Enzo is right. He must have done something. I refuse to believe he just went back without causing some major chaos. It's just not his style" Damon agreed. "I am on my way, Bon. Duke is not safe anymore. You and Elena need to come back." He added.

"I have everything handled" Bonnie said with a resigned sigh.

"Barely two hours ago the fucking Original mix breed Klaus Michelson attacked my mate and you. He could have killed both of you. This is not joking matter. Today, you managed to save Elena on time but what if tomorrow you're too late? I cannot depend on luck every time. And what if next time you're not powerful enough? He is a fucking Original, Bon. It would take a second for him to finish you." He argued.

"but Elena—" Bonnie protested.

"Elena and I just talked about this. She agrees too. She told me herself that she want to go back to Mystic Falls. She doesn't feel safe there"

Bonnie opened her mouth to argue further but then decided to go against it.

"It's decided. You're both coming to Mystic Falls. Duke in not safe for neither Elena nor you. I am coming to pick you both up" he commanded in his chief tone.

"If that's what you say, chief" she finally agreed.

* * *

Elena was packing her bags. They were leaving for Mystic Falls. She swiped a pint of sweat off her face, headed to the closet, and started rummaging through the drawers. Klaus's words still rang in her ears.

" _Kill her for me, Elena"_

She felt an overwhelming force again. The same force she felt on the night when she burned down the white oak tree forest. The same force that made her chose Damon in the council's meeting. It was as if someone was compelling her. No. Elena thought. She would never hurt her friend. She would never hurt her mate's best friend.

A while ago, Damon had told her that she was in a mind control bond with her brother. It was known as the sire bond. It bound her to her brother's will because he was her creator.

At that time she had refused the theory. She remembered telling Damon that her brother was a lot of things but he would stoop that low because he loved her. But recently, she had been introduced to a new face of her brother.

Somehow she was afraid now. What if Damon was right and the bond was indeed true? She was really getting scared now. Her hands shook and her mouth felt like cotton.

Bonnie had called Damon the minute they had reached their apartment. She was ordered to report everything to her chief and so she did. Damon was already very protective of his mate. He was enraged by the news that Klaus had been this close to taking her away from him. His tone was snarling. He was clearly very angry and upset.

When Bonnie handed her the phone he showered Elena with questions and instructions,concern seeping in his tone, asking about each and every detail. She told him everything. How Klaus had compelled her friend, how he wanted to take her away and that he knew about their child. She told him everything except the last part. Except the part that Klaus had ordered her to kill Bonnie.

Rippers already hated her. They would never allow her to enter their Mystic Falls if they knew she was a threat to their chief of witches.

But she did tell her mate to come and take her back to Mystic Falls. She couldn't risk Bonnie's life. Maybe if she stayed with her mate everything would be okay. She thought.

"Elena!" Bonnie's voice startled her. "huh"

"It's Damon. He wants to talk to you" Bonnie said handing her the phone.

"Yes"

"Are you okay, Baby vamp?" he asked, softly. She was disturbed and he could feel it.

"I am fine" she replied, sitting on the couch. "Could you come and pick me up? I don't want to stay here anymore. I want to go home" her voice broke in the end. She felt sick and faint, she was terrified beyond measure. Her mind played Klaus's command over and over again and each time she felt as if she was losing control over herself.

"Already on my way to you, baby." He assured her.

"Please hurry." She said in somewhat broken tone. "I don't feel too good"

Somehow, she felt like if he were there, if they were together, whatever was going to happen might be prevented.

"Elena, baby! He is gone now" he said. "Just hangin there for a few hours. Then I will take you back to Mystic Falls. I will be there with you all time. I will never let anyone or anything hurt you again," he whispered in promise, more to himself than her.

"Why can't he just leave us alone in peace, Damon?" she said with so much desperateness in her tone. Damon never felt so helpless. What wouldn't he do to rip the unhinged Original out of their lives who was set on snatching their happiness?

Damon paused for a while. He a lot of replies but he didn't think she will like him talking trash about her family. There was something off about his mate today. He could feel her restlessness. She was terrified of something. It was the same kind of dread he used to feel from her back when he didn't knew she was an Original.

"Baby Vamp, Is something wrong?" he asked, suspiciously.

"I just have a bad feeling, Damon" she said. "As if something very bad is about to happen" she added.

"Hey! Hey! Everything is going to be fine." he replied. "Stop working yourself up. It's not good for you or our baby" he reminded her.

"Hmm" she replied, wiping her tears. "I should go pack my stuff. See you soon" she added.

"We are heading out now." He said and she could hear the roar of the engine in the background.

"Be safe" she instructed.

* * *

"This is delicious, Bon" Elena complemented as she took a big bite of her pasta that her friend made for her. "Marry me? Please"

"I don't think your mate will appreciate that" Bonnie replied with a chuckle.

"He will live" Elena replied, winking. _Everything will be fine._ She reminded herself. _There is no such thing as Sire Bond._ She thought stubbornly.

"But really you have to give me the recipe to this"

"If you think this is delicious you should try Enzo's" Bonnie said, grinning.

"Enzo can cook?"

"Enzo is the master chef of our clan" Bonnie said proudly. "It's actually his recipe"

She continued taking about her mate as Elena ate. Despite her depressed mood, the dark skinned beautiful witch made her laugh by telling her stories about herself and her mate before their mating bond.

Elena liked her Ripper witch friend. Bonnie had also been helping her with controlling the somewhat a little amount of magic she felt inside herself now. Just yesterday Bonnie had taught her how to light a candle using her magic.

"Thank you for the lunch, Bon" Elena said getting up, picking her plate.

"Let me help"

"Don't be ridiculous" Elena said, swatting her hands away. "You made the lunch. Least I can do is wash the dishes now."

"Your mate and my chief specifically told me that you're not allowed to do work in this condition" Bonnie said hesitantly.

"This is just washing dishes. This isn't much work" Elena said with a light smile as she collected the dirty plates and went to the kitchen.

"You should go pack your stuff" Elena said as she dropped the plates in sink. "They will be here soon" she added.

Bonnie nodded. "You sure you don't need my help?" she asked one last time.

Elena shook her head, smiling as she started cleaning the plates one by one. "Okay than" Bonnie said as she made her way to her room.

As she cleaned the kitchen counters, she let her mind wander to events that took place only a couple of hours ago. Klaus knew about her child and he wasn't surprised at all. She thought. What if? What if Damon was right all along? What if he did only raised her because he wanted this child from her?

" _She is a Bennett. One of the most powerful witch sect in the world. But she is no match to the power your hybrid child holds"_ She remembered his words.

If Klaus just found out about her pregnancy than how come he knew about the magic of child. With that thought Elena felt uncomfortable again. She knew her brother enough to be sure that his agendas were never good.

As soon as she thought of her brother, she felt that blinding force again. " _Kill her for me, Elena"_ No. I won't. Elena replied in her mind. Bonnie is a friend. _"Use your powers. She is also a supernatural. She is a threat to your family. She killed a lot of us. She isn't innocent."_ The voice continued. "Bonnie is my friend. She is Damon's friend. She understands…she cares." She mumbled.

The force was clouding her judgement and numbing her senses. Elena's hand shook as she tightened her hold on the cool marble counter. _"Harness your true power and kill this bitch. She had been a bane to your clan, Honey. Kill her."_ Klaus's orders boomed in her ears.

"No! I can't. I won't. Bonnie is family" Elena mumbled moving away from the stack of knives close to her.

" _You will do what your creator tells you. You will do exactly as I told you"_

She tried to fight it. But the voices were getting louder. "Bonnie is family" she chanted over and over again. Bonnie, the Ripper witch, had always supported her. She couldn't possibly harm her only friend in the clan.

" _Kill her for me, Elena"_ Klaus's voice roared again. She was growing weak now and the compelling was growing stronger every minute. And then suddenly it was as if some other soul possessed her body. Her body was now moving on its own accord. This Elena only wanted to please her sire. And her Sire's happiness laid in the death of the Ripper witch.

Her hand crawled toward the knife.

"NO" Elena gasped as she pulled away from the counter to the door. Damon had been right. Klaus did have mind control power on her. She hated to admit that but that was the truth.

Her hand darted toward her phone in the pocket of her jeans. She had to call Damon now and tell him everything. Her heart pounded as she gasped for air. She suddenly found it very difficult to breath. She tried to unlock her phone but suddenly she felt her eyesight blur. Her lungs began to ache with the need for air but she focused on the task on hand. She had to call Damon and inform him that Bonnie was in danger.

Her struggle against herself was useless. Her phone fell from her hand. NO! she screamed inwardly as the room began to swim around her.

" _Kill her for me, Elena"_ She heard Klaus's voice over and over again. The power of Klaus's command was such that Elena felt that if she didn't comply she might die. She just had to do what her sire wanted.

She slowly moved toward the stove and turned on the burner. The unmistakable aroma of gas filled the kitchen.

"Elena, Is there something on the stove?" she could hear Bonnie from the other room.

" _Kill her"_ Elena heard her Sire's voice. And she knew she had to comply.

"Elena?" she heard Bonnie call her again.

It was as if Elena had no control over her body. Her fists curled and uncurled. _"Harness your true power and kill this bitch. She had been a bane to your clan, Honey. Kill her"_

She started mumbling in a strange language. She didn't recognize the language that she was mumbling and her hands had spontaneously started to move. She felt a rush of power within her. She stared at the stove. Bonnie had taught her how to light a candle with her magic just a few days ago. It had taken a lot of energy from her that time but right now she didn't feel any weakness. She focused on the rush power in her and tried to channel it.

And then suddenly the something started ticking until a large flame erupted from the stove and spilled over its sides as liquid fire, spreading throughout the kitchen, consuming all the oxygen it found and leaving a deadly trail of carbon monoxide in its wake. It was like her power was feeding the fire, helping it grow. Black smoke made her cough and the stench of burning flesh filled her nose. The warmth of fire was burning her skin. That's when she came to her senses.

"What's happening?" she said as she took a step back, scared.

Coughing, she tried to open her eyes horrified to see flames flickering through the thick smoke surrounding her. She shouted for help on top of her lungs.

"Elena!" She heard Bonnie's voice from across the living room. Her eyes widened in fear. "How on earth…?" she trailed off to find a way to put out the growing fire.

She mumbled something under breath, chanting spells to save her friend.

As soon as Elena saw Bonnie she heard her sire's voice order her again. _"Kill her."_

"No. No. Bonnie is friend." She reminded herself. But her alter self was in no mood to listen to her.  
"Get out of here, Bonnie" Elena commanded as she took a few steps, trying to save herself from the flames.

"What?" Bonnie said. "Of course not" she said as she moved forward to help her.

"Please leave me here. He ordered me to kill you. I can't control myself any longer. Please just go" she pleaded, trying her best to stay in her senses _. Kill her, Elena._

"Oh God" she heard her friend gasp. "Don't worry, Elena. I will save you" she added as she chanted some spells but it only helped in growing the fire more.

"Bonnie, Go!" she shouted as she cowered to a corner.

"I don't understand" Bonnie said, confused. The fire grew as it spread toward the plastic chairs and other furniture placed in living room.

Bonnie mumbled another spell but nothing changed. The thick dark clouds of smoke made it impossible to see and breathing the thick smoke made her lungs ache. She could hear Elena's cries for help.

Through the thick smoke Elena saw her friend cough as she chanted spells. But her spells were of no use. Klaus was right. She was no match to her power. Even though Elena tried to fight it she felt control slip away. Klaus's sire bond was fully intact _. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her._ A voice in her head ordered.

Glaring at the Ripper witch, Elena chanted some spells under breath.

Bonnie suddenly felt a hot, painful stab on top of her head. A shriek escaped her lips and she fell down on her knees. "Elena…stop it" she cried. The throbbing in her head and excruciating bodily aches didn't cease but instead grew to the point where it became unbearable. She tried to fight Elena but hers powerful beyond any measures. "Elena…please…please" she begged.

Frowning, she walked through the fire, the flames licking her, burning her delicate skin but she barely unacknowledged it. "The silly girl told you to leave. Didn't she?" Elena said, stepping toward the witch shouting in pain.

"Poor Bonnie Bennett, Did you really think you could walk freely on land after messing with my Sire? "She said, curing her fist and the throbbing pain in Bonnie's head doubled. She rolled on floor with agony, the heat of the flames blistered her skin.

"This is not you, Elena" she begged. "I am your friend"

"You're Nick's enemy" she said. "You're not my friend. You're a Ripper. You're my enemy."

"Elena, Fight it! This is not you. This is the Sire bond. You have to fight it. If you kill me Rippers will never spare you or Damon. Think about him. Think about your mate. Think about Damon" she reminded her.

Elena stopped for a minute. Bonnie waited for her to say something, waited for it to come clear to her who she was. A flicker of recognition crossed her face but then it disappeared and then her face filled with madness again. But that was all the time Bonnie needed. Chanting some spells she pushed Elena off her. She fell on a side, her head hitting the wall.

Elena groaned, her hand reaching to the back of her head. "What? What's going on?"

"Elena…Is that really you?" Bonnie asked.

"Bonnie?"

"Oh! Thank God. You're back." She sighed in relief as she crawled toward her friend, through thick smoke. "We have to get out of here" she said, coughing.

"He told me to kill you" Elena said as she tried to breathe shallowly. The blow to her head and the ache in her lungs made it hard to think clearly.

"I know. We will do something about it later. Right now let's go" she said as she helped her friend up.

Her touch burned Elena's skin. She immediately snarled at the Ripper witch, vamping out. "Elena!" Bonnie warned her.

"Kill Bonnie Bennett" Elena mumbled getting up. She could hear sirens and loud voices outside.

"Elena! Stay back" Bonnie warned.

Elena started chanting spells loudly. Spells even Bonnie has never heard of. It was probably dark magic. "Elena, stop now!" Bonnie was clearly panicked now.

The wind howled outside and the lights flickered shut. The room started shaking and the lamp, pictures and other items were flying around. Suddenly there was a loud bang and a shower of sparks flew around.

"Elena, you have to control your magic" Bonnie said worriedly as the fire surrounded them both. "Elena, this can kill you."

"I…I can't" she whimpered.

There was a loud noisy clang. Something fell from the ceiling, separating both girls. Elena fell toward the kitchen while Bonnie fell toward the other side of the partition. A big cloud of dust covered their eyes.

Bonnie fell hard against the floor, creating a loud thud, her head hitting the marble floor. The door of the kitchen closed with a loud boom. She could hear Elena's screams. She wanted to help but she couldn't even move. Slowly very slowly she felt numbness take over her. She didn't see the flames encircling her body, the fire surrounding her entire being as darkness filled her eyes.

* * *

Enzo frowned as he stopped the car and walked out. In front of the building where Ripper Queen and his mate was residing, there was a small crowd assembled in the street.

"What's going on?" Damon mumbled as he jumped out of the car. Police and Fire fighters were running around the building, shouting orders at each other.

"Excuse Ma'am!" Enzo asked a woman. "What happened here?"

She told him the top most two apartments in the building caught fire. Police and firefighters were inside, searching for survivors as the fire had been vicious.

"Doesn't Elena live on the top floor?" Enzo asked Damon. "Do you think they…" Enzo trailed off already dreading the answer.

They searched the crowd in search for their mates. By some what little help Enzo was guided to First Aid van where he found Bonnie unconscious.

"If Bonnie is in here than Elena must be around too" he said, anxiously as he searched for his mate.

He looked around fisting his hands in his hair " No,No,No" he mumbled as if answering her back when her words rang in his head "Something bad is about to happen "

The fear grew in his eyes as a fireman approached his fellow "A girl is trapped up there on the top floor in apartment twelve " he ran to the person gripping his collar "Which apartment did you say?"

"Twelve " the person left him on his place calling to his people.

Crash.

He felt his heart drop. That's the apartment he bought for his mate. His mate was trapped in fire. She could be hurt. She could be dead. No. No. He chanted over and over again in his head.

He wasn't the one to wait for help and let the reason of his life burn to ashes. He looked up at the building "Can I make it ?"

Shaking his head off any thoughts he raced to the building entrance he could hear the warnings of the guards "Sir, stop! Don't go in there." He didn't look back once, racing through the stairs his eyes only longed to see her face this moment, to see if those eyes were open and full of life like they had been the last time he saw her. This can't happen to him, after what they had been through he wouldn't allow a death to take her away from him. And if it was fate he'd change it.

The light of the flames were flashing from the staircase as he was near the second last floor. Even if he wanted he couldn't physically go in that acrid smoke, he coughed as the smoke started filling his lungs

"ELENA" he called loud, using all his strength, moving his arms through the fire to see through. Nothing but red flames. It scared him.

He took a deep breath taking off his leather jacket he threw it away and ran into the blazing fire , his vampire strength helped as he moved not letting the fire touch him but the black smoke stung his eyes and made it impossible for him to breathe. He was a vampire. He was indestructible. But fire was one of the tools to kill a vampire for good. This fire was as fatal to him as it would be for a human. He was aware of it but he didn't care.

He shouted"ELENA"

He was near the apartment; he regretted the moment he thought this apartment would be a good idea.

"ELENA" he was burning now, physically and internally. Tears stung his eyes "ELENA!…ELENA!"

The door to the apartment was open, which made it a little easy to go in, everything else was on fire, her favorite curtains, the sofas she chose, the wooden dining table they bought a few months ago, he didn't care he just wanted her to be breathing "ELENA!" He called loud.

"DAMON" he heard the voice, her voice. He let a breath of relief, everything would be fine now. Her voice brought him back to life . As if hypnotized he went after the voice "ELENA" he called again just wanted to hear her again and again to make sure she is okay till she is in his arms again. She replied again "DAMON"

He looked around chasing the voice which came from a closed room "ELENA" he turned the very hot knob ,he didn't even wince he was insane in this moment all that made sense was to save her, to love her unconditionally, to never let her out his sight, to make her forget this. But the damn thing wouldn't open, even with the vampire strength. He tapped louder "ELENA, Don't worry I am here I'll get you out Elena. Are you okay?"

She cried from the other side "Damon! pl-please save me." He heard her shout and take steps back.

"Don't worry!" he ran to the side of the wall to see her from the glass window. He just wanted one look. He wanted to make sure she was okay. Her face was drenched in sweat and her hair messed up, seeing him she ran to the window and touched it but shouted as her hands burnt in the process .

He flinched, seeing her in pain. "No, don't cry, don't cry. I will save you."

She was crying hysterically, coughing "Damon! I can't breathe. I can't "

His face scrunched up in agony, his hands clenched. The inability to touch her in this moment made him want to kill himself, he never felt this helpless.

Tears flowed freely down as he watched her struggle. The love of his life was burning right in front of his eyes. He had to do something quick. He wasn't immune to fire himself. The door was jammed, surrounded by flames and he couldn't move the door and if he broke through the window which was surrounded by the vicious fire, he would catch fire too within a second. It was as if Elena read his thoughts. She knew he could never make it without getting fatally injured himself. Her mate could even die. She wouldn't let that happen. She backed away. Ready for death to take her.

"Go"

He shook his head " No!"

"It's too dangerous"

"I don't care!" he said. "Step away! I am going to break this" he said taking a few steps back.

"It's too dangerous. You can die" she said "Damon, they all depend on you, your clan, you have to go, you'll die, please go I can't be saved now " She managed to choke. She felt dizzy now.

He shook his head "Shut up, Elena! Back off. I am coming in. "

She shook her head " NO Damon you'll kill yourself , this isn't heroic , this is crazy. "

He shouted "We stick together, Elena."

"We have lived together, we have suffered together, if death is our fate then we will die together." he added with conviction.

"I won't allow you to do this "she said.

"I am not asking you. Get out of the way NOW"

She pursed her lips getting to a side. He moved back a little only to pace forward and break through the window . The flames caught him and he screamed in agony. She shouted too, fearing this is his last "DAMON " She cried loud like a hurt deer. He crashed to a side she quickly landed near him and attempted to put the fire out by both her hands "No! No! No!" .

He attempted to get up tapping his arm furiously to put out the fire " Ahh... let's go."

By now, Elena had enough. She was already feeling dizzy and the smoke was choking her, clogging her windpipe. She closed her eyes, her body falling numb.

"Baby!" she heard her mate's alarmed voice as he caught her before she could hit the hard floor.

Despite the burning aches, he scooped her in his arms digging her face to his chest and pressing a kiss on top of her head "We will be out in a minute. You're safe now." She held on to his neck breathing in his scent, finally feeling secure as he flashed out of the place, moving through the fire, not letting a single flame touch her.

As they got to the ground floor. He slowly dropped her on the stretcher so paramedics could give her the first aid she needed. "I am sorry" she whispered before she fell unconscious.

* * *

Elena was lying on the hospital bed. Attached were wires that hooked her up to machines, and IV tubes coming out from her arms, and an oxygen mask over her mouth. She was alright but too weak. On his request (compulsion) Dr. Lucy was allowed to treat his mate along with Dr. Meredith a burn surgeon.

Elena wasn't drastically hurt. Of course there were a lot of bruises and the skin of her arms and legs were blistered but overall she was okay. The baby survived miraculously ( Lucy said it was the child's magic that saved him). However the smoke had damaged her lungs and she needed treatment for it. That's why they had to stay overnight.

He sat on the chair next to her and held her hand. How could Klaus be so cruel? Did he not care about her at all now?

Bonnie had survived. She was okay now. She had managed to use her powers to get out of the building. But she was weak so she couldn't go back to save Elena and she had apologized so much about that. Then she told him and Enzo all about Klaus's new move. She told them how Klaus had used the sire bond on Elena again and had ordered her to kill Bonnie. He knew very well that if Elena killed Bonnie, Rippers will turn against Damon and her.

This had been very unsettling news for Enzo. On the spot he had forbidden Bonnie to never be even in the same room as the Ripper Queen. Damon managed to cool him down but he knew the trouble has only begun.

By now, he was sure all the Rippers knew about Klaus's attempt to kill Bonnie using Elena. It didn't matter to them if she did it under Klaus's mind control bond. But that wasn't his main concern. He could handle them and their rage.

His main concern was Elena's health right now. In the moment he wanted nothing more than to look into his mate's eyes and hear her voice. Just once.

Today, he had almost lost her. If something happened to her he didn't know what he would do. He was absolutely lost without her.

"Elena" he whispered as he kissed her bandaged hand. He recalled how she tried to save him using her bare hands to put out fire. "My life" he added.

"Please wake up" he pleaded as his fingers trailed to touch her face. Somehow touching her provided him with peace and comfort he had longed for centuries. "I'm sorry I failed you again. I…I promised you a thousand times that I would keep you safe but I failed. I'm sorry you had to go through all that" he said placing his lips on her hand lightly.

"but I promise you, Elena. I will never leave you again. No one would harm you in any way from now on. Not Klaus not anyone" he promised himself more than her.  
"Tonight…I was so afraid when I saw you there. I think I have never been more scared in my life. I felt like If I didn't save you my heart would stop." He said dropping a kiss on her forehead, nuzzling her hair, taking in her floral scent.

"He will never touch you again. I promise. I won't let him take you from me. He can't win this time." He mumbled promises as he kissed her cheek.

In his schemes, today Klaus had crossed all limits by going after his mate. Elena could have died if he hadn't arrive on time. He shivered by the thought. He hated the Original chief more than ever now. Damon never tolerated nonsense when it came to his mate and his child. With those thoughts he planned one final attack. He decided he would finish Klaus and other Originals forever.

* * *

Elena woke up in her mate's arms. He was sleeping next to her on the hospital bed, his chin on her shoulder and his nose buried in her hair. One of his arms was draped over her stomach, holding her possessively. For a moment she wondered where she was before the memories rushed to her.

She looked at her mate and relief washed over her. Thank God he was okay. She thought as she turned slightly.

She reached out and gently touched his face using her bandaged hand. He looked so tired and weak. She thought. He saved her again. He always saved her. A soft smile played on her lips as she traced his lips with her fingers. Were his lips always so soft?

"I heard that" he mumbled in a hoarse tone.

"What? What did you hear?" she said, slight blush covering her cheeks.

"You said soft?" he said, opening his eyes.

"No! I said…I said…" she trailed off.

"Are you okay?" he said, alert again.

Now that he mentioned it, she did feel kind of dizzy and very weak. "I…I don't feel so good."

He got up, immediately, clearly panicked. "I will get Dr. Lucy and Dr. Meredith. They said you might have problem in breathing. Can you breathe properly? Should I get you water?" he said, his tone filled with worry.

"No! No! Damon, I'm fine. I am just feeling a little dizzy and—hungry" she said, holding his arm, pulling him back to her.

Very carefully, he wrapped his arm back around her, lying next to her. Cupping one side of her face, he bent down and pressed his lips on hers softly, relishing the feel of her. She parted her lips immediately kissing him with passion meeting his tongue which rolled into her mouth. He parted first so she would breathe. She was already very delicate he didn't want to overwhelm her. Moving her hair to a side he placed feathery kisses down her neck. "You're fine, Right?" He wanted to confirm. He had been this close to losing her. He could still feel the after effects of the incident. His demon was alert. Ready to attack anyone who even looked at his mate the wrong way.

She nodded, smiling weakly.

"Do you need blood?" he whispered, looking around.

"I...but you haven't fed too" she replied. She did want blood but she didn't want to weaken him.

"Don't worry about me. I will find someone to feed on later" he said as he tore open his wrist. "Take all you need" he said lowering his wrist on her lips.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Elena, My love. My life, I am fine. Now drink!" he said as he gestured her to drink from him.

Smiling, she lowered her lips on his wrist and sunk her teeth into his flesh.

* * *

"Enzo! It wasn't Elena's fault" Damon defended his mate. He got disapproving looks from the Rippers the minute he brought his mate back. He was sure even Elena noticed it. However, ignoring all of them he took her to their room ordering her to rest. When he was sure she was fast asleep he went downstairs and found Rippers waiting for him.

"She is dangerous to us" Tyler hissed. "She tried to kill Bonnie"

"Under Klaus's mind control" Damon replied. "She didn't do it on purpose. It's the sire bond that made her do it."

"Damon is right. Believe me she tried to fight it" Bonnie added.

"She tried to burn you ALIVE" Enzo reminded her.

"She was not in her right mind" Damon replied. "Her magic is unstable as you saw for yourself. She even tried to set herself on fire. She is helpless, Enzo. This is all Klaus's doing"

"Her magic is unstable" Tyler repeated his statement. "All the more reasons to kill her"

"Tyler, I swear to God—"

"Damon!" Alaric warned.

"Tyler, the girl is helpless. She didn't deliberately try to kill Bonnie. Whatever she did was under her brother's command. You know very well how the Sire bond works." Alaric defended the Ripper Queen.

"You brought her back here, fully aware that sire bond is still intact. What if she attacks Bonnie again?" Enzo hissed.

"So where else would I take her? She is my mate and this is her home as much as it's yours. And you don't have to worry I'll keep an eye on her she won't harm anyone-"

"Why should we even keep her if she is still sired to her brother? Klaus can make her do anything against us" Enzo growled.

"Because she is my mate and the mother of my child"

"That's not a reason enough to put us all in jeopardy" Tyler replied.

"I am going to repeat this one last time. My Elena will stay here with me in Mystic Falls whether anyone likes it or not and if anyone has a problem with her they will be facing me and we all know that never turns out good." With that warning he went out of the room with Rick and Bonnie following him.

* * *

Elena knew immediately what happened as soon as he walked into the room. She didn't need the mating bond to know the reason of the dread and anxiousness he was feeling right now. But the moment he saw her, his eyes softened and he felt relaxed again. That was the affect she had on him.

"Maybe, I should go back" Elena said once he settled on bed next to her. She really didn't want to go but then again what choice did she have?

"What? No" he said, alarmed.

"They don't want me here" she said, trying to fight away the tears. "I don't want to trouble you. You already have a lot on your plate."

"It's nothing I can't handle" he said holding her hand tightly. "They will just have to deal with it. You're my mate and I am not giving you up for them."

"But they are right. What if I attack Bonnie again?" she said, tears welling in her eyes. She was still very ashamed of what happened a few days ago. She was helpless. She didn't even have control over her own body anymore. She was scared stiff of her own self. In these moments of uncertainty she wanted to be close to her mate. His presence always provided her with peace and security. Sadly, the Rippers didn't approve of her presence in their territory anymore.

"You won't" he said kissing her fingertips. " You're hell a lot stronger than you give yourself credit. We will fight it together. We will break the sire bond."

"but how?"

"I don't know" he said with a sigh as he helped her up and directed her to sit on his lap. "But I will find a way." He rolled up her sleeve to check the her wounds. Picking up the cream on his side table and applying it on her blistered skin very carefully. He then guided her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on it, all the while looking into her eyes.

Elena smiled at his tender gesture and kissed his temple. As long as he was with her nothing could harm her.

* * *

"The chief has lost his mind" Tyler said grinding his teeth furiously. Joseph, the fellow werewolf nodded filling a large mug full of beer ,they were in the underground cave which was the training section for young werewolves "You are right Tyler, at first I thought chief was being rational, but I've realized that he puts that bitch before us "

"I want to tear that bitch open "Tyler seethed

"That's not a bad idea"Brady, another werewolf said very slowly, almost mumbling. "She is an Original after all. Her brother killed Mason"

A shiver went down Tyler's spine, he wished he could kill her and avenge his uncle but if Damon found out he would personally cut him piece by piece and make his death painful in all the ways. Vampires never tolerated when someone even looked at their mate the wrong way.

They heard a third voice and Tyler shook but when he saw Rudy he sighed.

Rudy gave a smirk "Brady is right Tyler, If we want to ensure our security, that girl has to taste death "

Tyler swallowed.

Joseph continued " And then finally Damon can actually stop thinking from his dick and use his mind for once, we will call war against the originals and get our revenge , think about it Tyler , think about Mason and pride that follows after the conquering the other side of the town"

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" Tyler finally snarled

He added "If Damon saw that bitch dead he will go of the rails to find the person who caused it, he will burn down not only Mystic Falls but the world for Elena that's for sure."

Rudy sighed "Tyler if the girl's death means my daughter remains safe, our tribe lives freely then we shall kill her without wasting time "

Tyler rolled his eyes" I am not too pleased with her existence either but if chief found out, he will ensure me a death so painful that would be beyond our thinking and let me tell you I won't be alone in that he will drag you two down too, you plan to kill her, I bet if he even heard us planning this he would pull out our hearts without batting a lash "

Brady rubbed his hands together "but who said he'll suspect us "

Tyler raised a brow as Brady smirked "I say we kill the bitch and show this as a conspiracy by the Originals. At this point it's pretty clear her family wants her dead. Damon will go off the rails, yes, but his target would be her brothers. And that way gentlemen, we kill two birds with one stone, dead Original bitch and our, only ours, Mystic falls. We will avenge our ex chief and get the town. "

Rudy smirked "I think it's worth a shot "

Tyler swallowed and looked at both their faces. No trace of fear on them. He had to take his revenge, and the town that had always been theirs, Mystic falls.

"I'll talk to Enzo. I'm sure he will help us too." Rudy encouraged him.

He nodded "Then it's decided, Elena Michelson has to die"

* * *

 **(A/N):**

Hello People! Are you still there?

Looks like Klaus's plan is working so far. He managed to break Ripper's unity but not in a way he really wanted. But you know what they say true love wins. Let's see if that's the case here too.

I will love to hear from you.

And Get Well Soon 'Scarlet Rose'! I hope this chapter entertained you while you're on your bed rest. Also Thank you everyone else, the new readers and reviewers and also some of the old faithful readers that had been with me throughout the story (Mia,Dove, Bonnie, Jess, Jenny, She-Made-Him-Good, imly, Amber and so many more)

Thank you Zee And Minali for your kind words. I love you XoXo.

 **Now how about a review!**

 **Pretty please! I love to hear from you all...**

 **Anyway take care!**

 _ **Title credit: Ed Sheeran-Afire Love**_


	29. If you leave my life,I'm better off dead

**Chapter 28**

 **Reposted because a reader complained they can't read the chapter**

 **(A/N: Okay, there had been a glitch and it seems like I'm sending multiple emails to you. I sincerely apologize for that)**

* * *

"Now, slowly chant the spell" Qetsiyah said as she moved her fingers with a particular pattern over a potted plant, uttering a spell. Elena mimicked the senior witch. Even though, the growth was very slow she could still see the change. A rush of power shot through her.

"Relax, young one" The senior witch said. "We don't want another power outburst. Right?" She reminded Elena of a practice two weeks back when in one of practice session, she lost control and tried to blast her teacher and herself. Good thing her mate and his witches were there to save her. Her power was overwhelming and sometimes uncontrollable.

Elena's mate, chief of Rippers, Damon only trusted his best friend with her since almost every one of his clan was against Elena. But ever since Klaus used the sire bond and ordered her to kill Bonnie, Enzo had banned Bonnie from anything related to Elena. Enzo made sure to put a good fifty miles distance between them and Elena. That didn't stop Elena from going after Bonnie. Klaus's order to kill Bonnie was still very much intact.

A few weeks ago, Damon had caught her murmuring in her sleep about killing the witch chief that had been a bane to Klaus's life ever since the start. He tried to wake her up. But she had been in frenzy. All she wanted in that moment was to kill the witch in cold blood. In her frantic state she even tried to fight off her mate. She uttered spells she never heard and attacked him. Alaric and Stefan tried to stop her but she even fought them. Somehow, Damon got through her and brought her to her senses.

When she realized what she had done. She broke into heart wrenching sobs, begging for his forgiveness. For a vampire nothing could be more devastating than hurting their own mate. Damon, however forgave her immediately and took her in his arms, providing comfort to her in anyway, emotional or physical. She was afraid to sleep that night, thinking that her alter self will take over her again and she will hurt her mate again. Damon understood her fears. He stayed awake with her the whole night and promised her that he would be there for her no matter what. He promised to help her. He promised to save her from her own self.

The very next day, he got another witch to train her and help her control her magic. After Rudy and Bonnie, Qetsiyah was one of the most powerful witch in their clan.

"Think about something else… focus on someone that helps you calm down" The witch added, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Elena's eyes immediately darted toward her mate. He was training his vampires at a distance along with Stefan and Enzo.

Lately, the need to be around her mate had multiplied. He was the only who could calm her down in the moments when Klaus's orders brought out her alter self, Klaus's slave. He was her safe place. He was her home. The thought of him kept her sane and calm.

Ever since the night she attacked Damon, not a single Ripper approved of her except for Bonnie, Alaric and surprisingly Stefan. _If she can attack her mate, God knows what she is capable of._ Elena heard that sentence a lot. She knew she was not welcomed at the Rippers.

"Elena!"

"Yes" Elena answered immediately alert.

"You're not focusing. I can still feel negative energy from you. This is not going to help if you want to control magic."

"I…I'm sorry. I will concentrate" she immediately apologized. After an hour of practice she felt completely drained of energy. But she had to practice. She had to learn to control her magic.

"I think that's enough practice for the day, Qetsiyah . I don't want her to exhaust herself. Lucy said it's not good for her or our baby" Damon said as he flashed by Elena's side in an instant. Elena smiled at him as he curled his arm around her waist with his hand pressed to her opposite hip. It was as if he had read her mind. He was so in sync with her that he could detect slight disturbance in her emotions in a second. He was very over protective of his mate and his child. He dealt with her as if she was made of glass. Always alert. Always there for her. Just like he promised.

"As you say, Chief" Qetsiyah replied, obediently. "We will continue tomorrow, Young one" she added to Elena before she left.

"How are you feeling?" he asked for the umpteenth time today.

"Tired" she replied.

"How about we take off and go home? I will make you lunch and we can watch a movie together." He propositioned. "And I can ruin it for you by quoting the whole movie" he added quickly earning a smile from her.

"We could" she said as she curled her arms around his neck. "but don't you have training to do for another five hours?"

"I have spent enough time teaching those idiots how to properly avoid a stake. Enzo will take it from now. Besides I much rather spend time with my beautiful mate"

"Just beautiful?" she frowned playfully.

"Baby Vamp, I would like nothing more than to shed light on all of your qualities and virtues, but why waste precious time that I could rather use on much pleasurable activities"

"Hmm…What do you have in mind?" she said, smirking, already knowing his answer. He drew close to her ear, his breath hot against her skin. "What would you say if I told you what I want now is to take you to bed and ravish you?" He smiled wickedly as he drew back, proud of making her heart race even after seven months of being together.

"I would say…do it" she whispered, leaning to capture his lips. Just before they could close the small gap between them a loud cough popped their bubble. They found Stefan looking at them with obvious signs of disgust on his face.

"Can you take this to home before you start jumping each other in public?" he said, frowning.

"Sorry" Elena mouthed to him, embarrassed.

"Listen…you little—" Damon was about to tell him off but Elena held his arm gesturing him not to fight.

"What? He is always interrupting us." He whined looking at his mate. Just a day ago, he was kissing his mate against the fridge when Stefan came out of nowhere, interrupting them telling them that he needed a cold drink.

"Please…let's just go home" she pleaded, using her doe eyes on him. She knew he could never say 'No' to that look. He frowned but nodded.

"Fine" he said, holding her hand, leading her to car.

"The meeting is at ten" Stefan called after him.

"I know." Damon replied, opening the door of passenger seat for his mate.

"What meeting?" Elena asked.

"Oh! It's nothing, Baby Vamp. Just going through some new security measures" he said as he helped her put her seat belt. "And a usual meeting with werewolves." He added. Something about his tone seemed off. It was like he was hiding something from her. She sensed that. She didn't point it out. If he wasn't telling her, it was probably something she didn't want to hear.

When he buckled her seat belt, Damon zoomed to his side. From a distance Elena noticed a werewolf, Brady glare at her. She frowned and looked away. She was used to glares and angry whispers from Rippers.

"We will listen to my music this time" Damon immediately said, claiming the rights of car stereo. It had always been a competition between them. But then again, competitions were important part of their relationship.

"You mean music from last century"

"It's better than a trash your generation makes" he shot back. He hated when she took a jab at his age. But apparently, she enjoyed that a lot so he tolerated it.

"My generation…" Elena broke into a fits of laughter. Her smile made him want to smile. Her laugh made him want to laugh along with her. But right now he was pretending that she had hurt his pride—again by mentioning his age. He tried to hide his grin but couldn't help but smile. Lately she had been so depressed and scared of herself that he felt a sense of relief whenever he made her laugh or smile.

"Damon…Damon" she said lowering her head on his shoulder, still giggling. "No matter how sexy twenty seven year you look; you're still a 170 year man deep in there" she poked his chest with her index finger.

He narrowed his eyes playfully glaring at her before turning his eyes back on the road.

* * *

"If you vomited this out I will feel insulted" he said as he placed the plate in front of her.

"Oooh…Ribbon pasta, my favorite" Elena said excitedly as held her fork. "You know lately I have been loving Italian food more than ever" she said as she took a bite and moaned in content with the taste.

"That's because our little one inside you is Italian" Damon replied, quite proudly. Something about his tone changed whenever he talked about their baby. His tone always laced with utmost love and tenderness for the little one. His father instincts had kicked in way before Elena's mother instincts did. He was very careful when it came to their child. He would panic at the slightest things. If she said she felt a headache he would immediately jump to the worst result and wouldn't rest until Dr. Lucy approved Elena fine. At times, Elena woke up and found him talking to their baby even though she had told him multiple times it was too early for their "little one" to recognize voices.

All these things, made Elena love her mate even more. With every passing day, she grew more confident in choosing him over her family even though she still missed them—except for Klaus, her eldest brother. No, she wouldn't think about him today. Thinking about Klaus brought out negative vibes. She shooed those thoughts related to her family and concentrated on the thing that kept her sane—her family, her own little family.

"Can you speak Italian?" Elena suddenly asked him out of nowhere.

A small amused smile touched his lips. "No, non posso parlare italiano."(No,I can't speak Italian)

She let out a squeak. "Oh My Gosh! That's so…"

"Sexy"

"I was going to say elegant but yeah that too" she replied taking another bite.

"Don't pretend like my deep sexy voice and my accent doesn't entice your body and soul" he said wiping sauce of her lower lip then pressed his thumb against his lips to suck the it clean.

"So cocky"

"Rightfully" he said, grinning.

"Can you teach me too?" she said, batting her eyelashes. She learned a lot of new moves she knew he could never say 'no' too. Recently, he had told her that her eyes were his weakness and she shamelessly used it against him.

"Have I ever denied you anything?" he said with a sigh, looking at her with utmost love and adoration.

"How do you say flowers?" she asked, taking another bite of the delicious lunch he made.

"fiori"

"How do you say rose?"

"Rosa" he replied with a soft smile.

"How do you say you're pretty?"

"sei carina"

"What?" Elena asked again.

"Sei Carina" The melodious roll of his tongue added to his charisma.

"Sei cagna" she repeated, imitating his thick accent.

He let out an amused chuckle.

"What?"

"You just called me a bitch" he said.

"It's difficult"

"Don't worry. I will teach you but let's get you to bed. I don't have much time and I want to make out with you a lot before I have to leave for work again" he said, getting up from his chair.

* * *

"Forget it, Joseph" Tyler said as they settled on chair. The werewolves just had a long extensive meeting with the vampires regarding attack on Originals. They wanted revenge for the death of their chief. True, the vampires had helped them in killing a few originals but they wanted to cause real damage to Originals. A damage that will hurt Klaus just like Mason's death hurt them.

They could get revenge by killing off Klaus's darling little sister but she was their chief's mate and he was very furiously protecting her. A few days ago, they had planned to kill the little leach but she was untouchable. Her mate was almost everywhere she went. And in times he needed to leave her, his brother and Alaric would always be there to protect that little bitch. The witches hated her too but their chief , Bonnie, supported her so the witches kept her safe too.

"Damon said we will attack Kol instead" Tyler added. "From what he knows from his mate, he has great fear of us. We will use that against him. Originals have a hearing on Tuesday at the council which he will have to attend for sure. We will attack him on the highway. One of the witches will be there with us. We will get our revenge"

"And what about the Original bitch?" Brady said.

"She is the chief's mate. We can't do anything about her" Tyler replied uncomfortably. A few weeks ago, in his drunken state he had vowed to his clan that he will kill the Original girl and take revenge of his uncle's death. But as soon as he sobered, he knew it was a bad idea. He couldn't just kill his chief's mate. Killing a vampire's mate was like a death wish. Her mate would not rest until he kills the one who took his mate away from him.

"We can. We will—"

"No, Brady. It will cost our lives and treaty. We can't go against the chief. He promised us Kol as our new chew toy. If he went against his word than we will do something about the girl but not now. Okay? Am I clear?" Tyler said,strictly.

Brady reluctantly nodded. Mason was his best friend. His death had pained Brady the most and Tyler was well aware of that.

"As you say"

* * *

When Elena woke up, she found her mate settled between her legs, his head lying on her abdomen. He had been busy with meeting and had arrived at a time when she had fallen asleep. So, he did what he always did. He crawled on top of her, ( making sure he didn't awake her )and would have talked to their 'little one' until he had fallen asleep too. This was their routine. When he wanted to unwind from a tiring day he would come to her. She was the only who could provide him with peace and the same went for Elena. She didn't know what she would do without him.

She pulled the covers on their almost naked bodies. Her fingers ran through his dark hair, caressing his silky strands. She pulled him closer and kissed every inch of skin she could manage to reach. In that moment, everything was simple again. They were just two people crazy in love with each other. There were no clans, no family feuds and no life threats. It was just them.

She let out a giggle as Damon's nose scrunched up when the tendril of her tickled his nose. His tired eyes opened at the sound of her laugh. "It's dangerous to wake someone up so early" he said in a hoarse tone.

"The big bad vampire don't approve of this" he added, settling on her chest.

"Is that so?" she said, playfully. She took a strand of her hair and tickled his nose again, making him sneeze and making her laugh.

"Oh! You've done it" he said as he rolled her on top of him. "You want to play…huh" he said as he put his face in her neck and growled.

Elena giggled, holding his biceps for support.

In mock anger, Damon nipped at her shoulders, then he laid a path of kisses back to her neck, then down to her clothed breasts, nipping, kissing. Elena reacted at his passion, kissing his shoulder. In a couple of minutes he had turned from a calm tired vampire to a wild man with no patience.

There was new urgency when he kissed her mouth. She hummed in content. His kisses always drove her insane. Elena heard herself making noises, chanting his name, letting out vulnerable moans as he trailed down nipping kisses from her collarbone to the deep V of her nightgown. Her breathing became shallow as he moved down to her cleavage, he kissed her cleavage, tongued her nipples through the thin fabric of her night gown. She let out gasp, rubbing herself against him for friction, chanting his name like a prayer. Oh! The things he made her feel.

"Bite me" she whispered in his ear.

"No, Baby Vamp. I don't want to hurt you" he whispered, his mouth not leaving her skin.

"Damon, please" she whispered.

"Lena" he replied kissing her most softly than ever.

She rolled her eyes. He had been treating her like glass doll. It was time she showed him he was underestimating her.

A whine escaped Damon's lips when she pulled back, straddling him. He frowned. "What?"

Elena raised her hand, curling her fingers in dance like movement. Suddenly, the bed sheets scattered on floor hovered in air before tying her mate's hand to either side of the bed post.

"What the—"the words escaped his lips in astonishment.

"I haven't just been learning to grow plants, y'know" she smiled, wickedly as she slowly, very agonizingly slowly removed her nightgown enjoying his hungry gaze.

"What are you doing?" he said, a smirk apparent on his face.

"You have been holding back on me" Elena said leaning toward his face, just inches away from his lips. Her hands traced the his smooth abs. "I don't like that" she said, planting a small kiss on the corner of his lips, drawing back before he could capture her lips.

"I am yours to punish" Damon replied, his eyes bored into hers with pure devotion, glazed with desire. She dropped her gaze so he wouldn't see the naked adoration and undying love she had for him. It was beyond any rational feeling she felt. It was consuming. It was maddening.

Smiling, she captured his lips in a hungry kiss, humming in content when he deepened the kiss. Her hips moved rhythmically with him, grinding to get any sort of friction. She pulled his head up with a gentle tug on his hair and suckled his lower lip. He moaned in content. His shaft throbbing with need. Ignoring his protest, her lips left his and trailed kisses down his jaw to his neck. "Oh baby" he moaned loudly as she suckled on his skin, before her teeth punctured his neck, drawing blood from him. Her fingers worked on his body, touching him everywhere, his chest, his arms, his thighs, everywhere.

Her breaths came in a rush as she ground her hips against him. A mutual groan escaped both their lips. Drawing her teeth back to her gums, she licked the wound clean before planting open mouth kisses down his body. She bent down toward his lower body, kissing and nipping his thighs. He thrashed underneath her. He wanted her. He wanted her now.

"Elena—please" he murmured, the scent of her blood was driving him mad. He didn't know what he wanted more. Her or her blood.

"Now, will you hold back on me?" she said, smiling as she crawled back on top of him.

"You're playing with fire, my love" he replied.

"Is that so? My big bad vampire" she said, leaning toward his lips but pulling back as soon he nipped at her.

"Do you want me?" she said, playfully.

"I need you" he replied, his tone tender and hard with passion at the same time. "I need you now" he said as if he was in torture.

"Tell you what? If you released yourself from them—"she said looking the ties that tied his hands to the bed post. "—I will let you do anything to me" she added.

"Anything?" he said, smirking.

"Anything" she replied, confident of her magic.

"Okay" he said and with slight push, he broke the headboard of the bed into two, wrapping his arms around his mate, rolling her on her back, moving on top of her. Elena let out a surprised squeak, finding herself captive in his strong arms.

"Now, where were we?" he said as he resumed from where they left.

* * *

Drying her hair with towel, Elena smiled. After their passionate love making, Damon had been called for a meeting by Rick in the study. He had promised her he will come by quick and then he will make her breakfast.

She smiled as she let her dark brown hair fall on her shoulders and put on some light make on her eyes and a lip gloss. After waiting for another hour, reading magazine, she couldn't stay anymore in her room. She was starving and the her activities in the morning had completely drained her. She needed food. She stood up and went out of room, walking toward kitchen.

" _Kol won't be alone that day he will have a bunch of Originals around him too as his guards. He rarely goes out alone"_ She heard Stefan's voice from the study.

Kol. They were talking about her brother. Why? Elena thought as slowly walked toward Damon's study.

"From what I know from Elena's memories is that he is bat shit scared of werewolves. Kind of like a phobia. He can't even stand the sight of them. He freezes at the sight of them. We will use that fear against him.

We will take Bon with us. She will use her witchy jojo and freeze them or stuff for a minute or half. We will all attack at once. We will take his guards down and Tyler and his group would chew his head off. We will need to do it discreetly. The vampire council must not know that Ripper vampires were involved. We must make it look like it was a young wolf's doing." Damon explained the plan.

"This would be risky of course, we might even all end up dead" Enzo added.

"It's okay" Tyler said. "We have to do this for Mason."

"Indeed! We owe him one fucking Original dead" Stefan added.

"Gentlemen by this time tomorrow we will be celebrating another win against those lowlifes" Damon said. "Slowly, one by one, we will kill each and every one of them and make Mystic Falls Original trash free again- "

"Elena…" Alaric's voice broke his concentration and he turned around and found his mate's eye blazing, filled with tears.

"Baby Vamp" he tried to explain but she left, running back to her room.

"Fuck!"

* * *

Elena stood on the balcony. A cold gust of wind touched her body, making her shiver uncontrollably. Her eyes stung and tears soaked her cheeks. How could he do that? She trusted him. She knew her mind was more open to him then his was to her. She kept her barrier down almost all the time. She had nothing to hide from him. But he abused that privilege.

He looked into her memories to find her brother's weakness. He used her against her own family. Wasn't it bad enough that her elder brother was using her that now her mate was using her too. She felt betrayed.

"Elena" she heard him enter the room and moving quickly toward her.

"Let me explain" he added.

"How could you?"

"It was unintentional. You played a memory to me. I didn't snoop around—"

"You're planning an attack against my brother. You're planning to kill him" she stated, her tone laced with pain. Yes, she had left her family. She chose Rippers over Originals but that didn't mean she didn't care about her parents and her siblings anymore. She had a problem with Klaus now but she still didn't want anyone to harm him. An unrealistic part of her always thought Originals and Rippers will sort out their problems.

"They killed my friend. I have to take revenge. Just because I love you, doesn't mean that I will ignore my duties to my clan"

"You can't do that" Elena rushed to him. "He is my brother"

"Elena, they are our enemies. I was turned to finish trash like him." He said slightly harshly.

"I belong to that trash clan too" she reminded him.

"No" he immediately corrected. "You belong with me."

"Did you ever think about me once before you planned this?" she said breaking into sobs. "How'd I live with myself knowing that my brother was killed by mate and his friends?"

"I am indeed thinking about you" he said, holding by her shoulder. "Ever since Mason's death the Rippers had all been conspiring against us, Elena. If I don't take action soon they will kick us out of the clan or they will harm you. I can't risk that."

"So what if they kick us out? Damon, we will go away from this place. We will go to some place where it's only you and me. We don't need these clans or anyone—"

"Yes and then your brother will hunt us down and kill us both. Elena, we are only safe because of my family. Did you forget what your brother made you do? You're under his mind control half the time. He almost killed you. Don't you understand, Elena baby? Originals don't care about anyone except themselves especially Klaus. And I'm not going to stop just because you said so. It's my job to protect you and my family and I will do every bad thing in the book to keep you and my family safe."

"by snooping around my mind to find weaknesses of my siblings and use me against them" she shot back. She wasn't thinking logically she knew but she couldn't bear the thought of her Kol or anyone of her family hurt. She could understand if they go against Klaus, but not the rest of them. "You're no different then Nick"

"Your 'Nick' is doing everything for power. I'm doing this for you and our baby. I'm doing everything for our love, for you, for our child." He replied, pleadingly.

"By keeping secrets from me and going after my family" she shot back. How could he expect her to be okay with that?

"It's not like you were very honest from the start" he hissed back. "and what did you expect Elena? That somehow we will all makeup and forget century long disputes. Sorry to break it to you but that's not going to happen. They caused us real damage. They harassed and abused us all. We can't just forget that.

You knew about your choices. You knew how things were going to be once you chose us." He said as he stepped closer.

"No, I didn't" Elena said pushing his hands away. "They are my family, I—"

"You're a part of Rippers now, Elena. As your chief, your loyalties should be to me and me only. I'm giving you the privilege of not participating in our plans but please don't come in my way next time" he ordered in his most emotionally void and chief tone.

Unaccountably, Elena's eyes filled with tears. Angry tears. She nodded in auto pilot mode. In this moment, he wasn't her mate. He was the Ripper chief. He didn't care about her fragile feelings.

Not sparing him another glance she went out of the room.

* * *

"Did you talk to Elena?" Alaric asked once Damon came back downstairs.

"You're not backing off, Right?" Tyler asked a grim look on his face.

"Of course not" Damon answered immediately.

Tyler relaxed immediately, a smirk appearing on his face. He was afraid the Original girl would change their chief's decision. This was what all their clan was afraid of. Everyone thought the girl held great power over him. She ruled him. It was good to know that their chief still supported them even if he was desperately in love with an Original.

"We will discuss the details in the evening. Start preparing for the attack." He said, dismissing them for now.

Once, they were all out of the room, Alaric took a seat next to him. Damon was deep in thought when Alaric's cough brought his attention to him.

"I'm guessing the conversation didn't go well" Alaric said, sympathetically.

"What do we expect? I'm planning to kill brother" he said with humorless chuckle.

"It is not always going to be rainbows and flowers, Damon. I told you that the day we decided to keep Elena here, when you begged me to take her under my protection" Alaric said pouring him a glass of bourbon. "You two belong from clans that despises each other existence. You were turned along with the rest of my vampires to finish them and Michael and Klaus made Elena to kill us—kill you. There is so much history, so much hate. This was bound to happen."

"I don't blame her for hating me after this—but I am doing this for her. Did you notice Tyler when I came back after talking to Elena? I have to take quick action before they start rebelling against me." He said as he frowned while running his fingers through his hair.

"What else can I do? Rick" he added sadly, his tone disturbed. "I know this upsets her but I have my duties too. I love her more than anything but Originals are still my enemies." He stopped. "She always puts me in this position where I just…I just don't know what to anymore"

"Originals only want one thing from her, Damon. Their love for her is fake and agenda based. She is thinking emotionally but you have to think rationally. All our lives depend on you. We need werewolves' alliance. And it's not just that, Mason was our friend. We owe him this revenge.

Kol is Klaus's right hand. We have to cut it off. We have to weaken him before he attacks again. He wants yours and Elena's child, Damon. We can't let him have that. He will abuse her powers to new extent. We can't let that happen." Alaric reminded him.

"You're right" Damon replied, nodding. Alaric was about to continue when Enzo burst through the door. "We tracked Kai near Great smoky mountain, Tennessee."

"That's wonderful news." Alaric replied, a smile appearing on his face. "You should leave immediately before Kai changes location again" he added.

"but the attack?" Damon said.

"Enzo and I will handle that. You and Elena need to leave tomorrow first thing in the morning and reach him before he leaves again. Find as much information as you can about the Sire bond and the hybrid child. He is our last hope."

"Fine" Damon said, standing up. "But are you sure you can handle it?" he said, brows rising.

"Positive" Enzo replied. "Although as chief we will need you to authorize the attack?"

From a distance he saw Elena's shadow, he knew she was listening but Alaric was right. Klaus was coming for them and he had to weaken Klaus as much as he could. He was doing this for her, for their love, for their baby and their family.

"I allow you, the werewolves and the witches to attack Kol Michelson and kill him. Don't come back unless the task is complete"

* * *

"Why isn't chief going with us?" Joseph asked Enzo as they prepared for the task their chief had assigned. Today he was the leader. He was supposed to lead his team and kill the Original and his friends who had killed one of their best friends.

"We've explained the situation to Tyler. I don't need to repeat myself all over again" Enzo replied as he picked up the equipment and piled them inside the car. Gathering Tyler's team and his vampires, Enzo and Bonnie left for their mission.

"Looks like his mate was successful in changing his decision. Your chief is sending you all to your death while he stays back and enjoys his picnic trip with his Original mate" Joseph heard Rudy's voice from behind.

"There must be some strong reason or he would—"

"Yes, there is. 'Elena'." He said dramatically. "Believe me, Joseph. This is her doing. She is breaking us all up. She is breaking our unity. She has already turned our chief against us. The day is close when we will all be kneeling before Klaus." He whispered.

Joseph looked at him uncertainly. "Isn't right? Brady" Rudy said as he gestured to another werewolf. Brady looked down, disturbed by the thought. "Tyler is afraid of Damon's power. He won't do anything unless you, my dear gentlemen take action. He is just a kid. He doesn't know clan politics, Joseph. I'm sure if Mason was alive he would agree with me" He added.

"He is right" Brady said looking at Joseph.

"But Tyler-"

"—is a child. He doesn't know this stuff, Joseph. We will have to take matter in our hands. The Original girl even attacked Damon the other day, Joseph, her own mate. She attacked my daughter. She attacked Qetsiyah . She is not safe. She needs to die"

"but how do we do that? She is never alone." Brady said, irritated.

"She is going to Tennessee for a week with her mate for a few days. They will be staying in a rest house. I will track down their location. I will give you a spelled stone. My magic in that stone would prevent her from escaping the room. She is young. She doesn't know how to control her magic. She doesn't have her vampire powers. She will be helpless. All you need to do is stake her" he said.

"We will do it" Brady said after a minute of thinking, offering his hand in a handshake.

"It's a deal then" Rudy replied, smirking.

* * *

"Will you meet me tonight?" Caroline heard Klaus talk to someone on phone. Her eyes narrowed, suspiciously. She exhaled in relief when she heard the voice on the other side of the phone. It wasn't a woman like she immediately thought. It was a man's voice.

"Thank you for informing about the attack though" Klaus said, respectfully. "Yes, Kol is safe." He added.

"Ohh…Tennessee huh! Did you do what I told you to do?" Klaus said, amused. "Oh! Yes! Yes! Good, Good." He replied to the man. Caroline couldn't hear what the other man said though.

"Well, I will see you tonight than, Thank you again." Klaus said as he cancelled the call.

"Who was it?" Caroline asked, curling an arm around his neck, dropping her head on his shoulder.

"A new friend" he said with a smirk, kissing her temple.

"Who is in Tennessee?" she asked.

Klaus let out a chuckle. Did she ever miss a single thing? She was so sharp. He loved and hated that about her. "Elena and her mate" he replied, not lying.

"What?" she looked startled.

"Excuse me, love. I have got to go inform father about this" he said as he dropped another kiss on the top of her head before he left.

When he found, his little mistake had almost cost him the hybrid child and Elena he had been furious at himself. Was his agenda so important that he was ready to sacrifice one of his own? No, it wasn't. He had been feeling terribly guilty but then that situation brought out a good too. He got an insider at Rippers. He found a new friend that would help him get Elena and the hybrid child back.

"Kol" he said as he entered his father's house.

"In here" Kol replied, sitting next to Davina, his mate.

Kol was okay and safe. Of course, Klaus would never let any of his siblings get hurt. Ever. Kol was his baby brother and he would never let the Rippers harm him. Thanks to the Ripper traitor his brother was safe.

"Did you bring good news, Nicklaus?" Michael said coming to living room.

"Is Elena coming back?" Isobel asked, her doe eyes wide in anticipation and worry.

"Soon, Isobel. Very soon" Klaus said. "Yes, I did bring a good news. By this tomorrow, Rippers will kick werewolves out of Mystic Falls" he announced. A grim look appeared on Rebekah and Kol's face. They had been distant lately but he ignored them.

"Soon…The witches will leave them too and then we will rip each and every one of them into two" Michael added, smirking.

"He wanted to harm my brother. He wanted to cut my right hand. I will turn everyone against him" Klaus added. "Everyone"

* * *

The journey had been silent and very uncomfortable for Stefan, Damon and Elena. Stefan almost missed the time when both of Damon and Elena couldn't get their hands off each other. Almost. The whole journey they didn't even look at each other using Stefan as mode of communication.

"Stefan tell Elena it's time for her medicines" Damon said when they stopped for gas refill.

"Stefan tell your brother that I've already taken my medicines" Elena replied in a tone void of emotion. For the first time in their lives, Damon and Elena had slept facing away from each other. He didn't kiss her in the morning neither did they greet each other. He made her breakfast though that she ate without complaint. And then outside, she held his hand in front of everyone when they were about to leave for Tennessee. To the world, they showed a strong exterior no matter how much they were broken inside.

Stefan groaned at their childish attitude and fell back on the backseat. He tried to make them talk to each other but they even refused to look at each other.

"Can you two please stop this non sense and—"

"Stay out of this, Stefan" Damon warned him, glaring at him. "This is between us." He never liked when anyone came between Elena and him.

"Fine! Do whatever you want" Stefan said as he jumped out of the car. "I will go grab us some snacks. Do you want anything Elena?"

"No, I have packed a healthy lunch for her. Doctor Lucy strictly prohibited junk food" he replied before Elena could refuse. Stefan looked at them, mouth open. They would fight. They would argue. They would ignore each other as if the other didn't exist but in between all that they still cared for each other deeply.

"Whatever" he said as he left.

With Stefan gone, they sat in the car in complete awkward silence. He had tried to talk to her last night but she ignored him. So, he took the queue from her and pretended to ignore her too. He wasn't going to beg her for her attention. He had done that enough. It wasn't like he was doing anything wrong. He justified his reasons. He was doing everything for her. For their love. For their baby's safe future.

Suddenly, she started coughing. He immediately took out the water bottle from the holder and guided the bottle to her lips, holding her, softly. She coughed again, before latching her mouth to the bottle. When he knew she had enough he removed the bottle from her mouth. Silently, he gave her a napkin to wipe her mouth, their eyes locked on each other before she tore her gaze away, looking at anything but him.

He felt a sense of dread from her, a deep pain. Her pain crushed his soul. Light tears brimmed her eyes again as she stared ahead. Any minute now, the news of her brother's demise will come.

For a minute, Damon fell ashamed of what he had done. He didn't want to hurt her but what other choice did he have. Alaric was right. This was going to be a long and painful journey. There was a lot of pain and history, a lot of angst and hatred between their families. They loved each other to the point of madness but both of them didn't want to hurt their loved ones either. Inwardly, Damon prayed that their love would be strong enough to survive all the problems they were yet to face. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Elena.

Elena had been silent. She was disgusted with herself. The man next to her was planning her brother's death and she still loved him irrationally. How did he have so much control over her? How could she still be so hopelessly in love with him. How could still the thought of separating from him killed her? Her mind jumped to Kol. She prayed for his safety. Her mind flashed a lot of moments she shared with her brother.

Kol was her best friend, her protector and her elder brother at the same time. Her relationship with Kol was different then her relationship with Klaus. Klaus had been more like over protective father while Kol had been her brother in real sense. They fought, they made up. At times they had fun and did dangerous things and at times Kol would panic even if she fell. He was the brother who would beat up her boyfriend whenever he hurt her.

She just couldn't bear the thought of him hurt. So what if he was her half-brother? But Damon thought otherwise. Living with Elena didn't change his perspective about Originals. He hated them just like her brothers hated him. He wanted to kill every Original because he thought every Original was a threat to Elena, his child and his family. In a way, he was right. She understood his reasons but that didn't make it right. She just couldn't bear it. No. Not Kol. Not her family.

Damon's phone ring startled them. Elena's heart started to race. "Hello" Damon answered. "Give me the news"

"Shit" he said, hitting the steering wheel.

"How many of ours are injured?" Damon said, worried.

"What happened?" Stefan said as he jumped in the car with some bags of snacks.  
"So no deaths…thank God. We will be back by Friday. Meanwhile Bonnie will take charge for me. Yes…Okay, Call me if something comes up" Damon said as he hung up.

"Damon?"

"They knew beforehand about the attack. Someone from our side outted us" Damon hissed.

Stefan's eyes darted to Elena. She was the one who had been most upset about attack. Surely, it was her.

"I…I didn't" Elena immediately whimpered.

"I know" Damon answered before Stefan could say anything.

Damon knew it wasn't Elena. Yes, she had been upset but she haven't contacted anyone of her family even once since she chose him. Her loyalties was to him. Even though she had been upset. He groaned as he thought that now everyone will blame Elena again for their failed attack attempt.

"What happened?"

"Enzo said he and his group were waiting for Kol when suddenly Originals attacked them. Luckily they managed to fight them off and escape. A lot of them got injured but none died. He says they knew about the attack somehow."

"This means we have a black sheep in the clan" Stefan hissed.

Damon nodded, grimly.

"We need to get back soon" Stefan said, his tone laced with worry.

"Yes… As soon as the meeting with Kai is over we will head back" Damon replied. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Elena seemed relaxed now.

* * *

The car halted at a deserted place. Apparently they were out of gas and there was no sign of gas station anywhere around. "Stefan tell Elena that I told her to keep track of GPS" Damon hissed at Stefan.

"Stefan tell your brother that I was guiding him just right. He took the wrong road" Elena replied glaring at the empty road.

Stefan rolled his eyes in annoyance. There were hundred of places he could rather be and he ended up in between his brother and his brother's girlfriend argument.

"Now, what are we going to do?" Damon huffed.

"Stefan tell your brother, it's not the end of the world. We can walk" Elena said, as she jumped out of the car.

"Stefan tell Elena—"

"No!" Stefan finally cracked. "I'm not telling anyone anything. Just talk to each other and sort it out. God! You two are so annoying" he said as he flashed a mile away from them, leaving the couple alone.

Without uttering a word, he took out their bag and locked the car, leading the way as she followed.

In about fifteen minutes, Elena was panting. She couldn't walk much but her pride was stopping her from asking help from her mate so she followed him silently. Lost in her thoughts, she stumbled upon the uneven ground and fell on her knees. Her mate was at her side in flash. "Baby Vamp" he said as he held her. "Oh baby! Are you okay?" he said as he helped her up.

"I…It hurts"

He helped her sit on grass and examined her. The palms of her hand and her knees were bruised. "Can you walk?" he said worriedly. She nodded, groaning her as he helped her up. She cried in pain and fell again, this time he held her before she could crash on ground and hurt herself even more.

"Looks like you twisted your ankle" he said, sympathetically. There was a huge wound on her knee too. His poor mate was so hurt.

"It hurts a lot " Elena whined, making a face.

"We will need to show it to a doctor" he said, his eyes examining the wounds.

"We need to get out of here before the sunset" he added, worriedly. "but we should treat it before we move forward" he was talking to himself more than her. He just hated it when she got hurt. He hated how vulnerable her human body was. Slightest wounds could snatch her from him. "Stay put and wait here" he said, kissing the top of her head before flashed leaving her alone.

"Damon? Damon? This is not funny. Where are you?" she said, suddenly scared. She tried to get up but lost her balance. Screaming, she closed her eyes and waited for her body to come into contact with the hard ground. But, it never came. Then she realized that someone was holding her. She opened her eyes to see who saved her and found a pair of most beautiful eyes gazing back at her. "What the hell, Baby Vamp? I told you to stay put. Will you ever listen to me?" he said, rolling his eyes in annoyance as he picked her off her feet and helped her sit on grass.

"Where did you go? I got scared" she replied, her eyes furious.

"Baby vamp, Do you really think I will leave you here? I was just went to find something"

"What?"

"This" he said as he pulled out leaves of a plant mixed with dirt. "What's this?" Elena said with disgust.

He didn't answer as he cupped her feet and spread it on his lap. He then took a couple of leaves and started chewing them. "What? What on earth are you doing?" Elena asked, surprised. He didn't reply and kept chewing, his face void of any type of feeling or emotion.

"Damon?"

After a few moments, he spat out the content of his mouth on his hand. Elena felt bile rise up to her throat at the sight. It looked disgusting. It looked like vomit. "Disgusting" she thought, narrowing her eyes. She turned her eyes away as she couldn't bear the revolting sight. Men could be so disgusting. Then she felt wet substance on her wounds.

Elena felt as if she would vomit right there. "What the hell are you doing?" she screeched as she pulled her foot away.

"It's herb, Baby Vamp. Natural antibiotic. It will help you heal fast" he said gripped her leg firmly and applied the rest of the revolting medicine on her.

"Then why did you chew it first?" she said, her face still full of disgust while he concentrated on her, covering her bruises with more chewed herb.

"It doesn't activate until you chew it"

"I could have chewed it for myself" she said, frowning. "You didn't need to do that"

He rolled his eyes and offered her some leaves, a glint of mischief on his face. She took a bite and started chewing. She immediately gagged at the taste. It was very bitter. So bitter and disgusting that she would have vomited right there if she had eaten anything an hour ago. She spat it out, coughing. He immediately offered her water. She took it and gulped it all down.

"Why didn't you tell me that it tasted so bad?" she said, almost close to crying.

"But it was so much fun watching you experience it" he replied, smugly.

"Did anyone tell you that you're an ass?" she spat.

"No but I have been told I have a great ass"

She gritted her teeth in frustration. Why was he so annoying? Why did he always deliberately pushed her buttons?

"You're very mean" That was all she could manage. He let out a chuckle obviously amused that he had won an argument again. He loved making her angry. He enjoyed getting a rise out of her.

"Come on! We need to get out of here before the sunset. I will give you a ride" he said as he picked her up bridal style, staring straight into her eyes. She turned her gaze away still mad at him for his stunt. He let out a chuckle and continued walking toward their destination.

* * *

They haven't properly made up but at least now they were on talking terms. After arriving at their rest house, Damon had immediately called a doctor to take a look at her bruises. The doctor was rather surprised that the wounds were already half healed, deeming Damon's remedy a success and writing a few pain killers for Elena before taking leave.

Stefan was glad that at least they weren't using him to talk to each other. His decision of leaving them both together to solve their issues had been correct. They had already started looking at each other again with love struck eyes again like they used too, to his utmost displeasure.

"Do you need anything else, Baby Vamp?" he asked as he helped her settle on bed.

"Just a little lemon juice" she replied with a soft smile.

He nodded and left for a second, coming back in a flash, giving her a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

"How is your foot now?" he asked, his voice seeping with concern.

"Better" she replied, smiling.

"Good" he said as he leaned in slightly and kissed her forehead. From a distance Stefan looked at them, envious of their relationship. How could they be fighting one minute and crazy in love with each other the next minute. There was so much love and devotion in Elena's eyes for Damon, so much love and protectiveness in Damon's eyes for Elena. How was their relationship even possible? They were supposed to be mortal enemies. They were supposed to hate each other. They were both made in order to destroy the other. Then how could they love each other so much. Jealous. He felt extremely jealous of them sometimes.

"Are you going somewhere?" Elena asked, when instead of jumping into bed with her, her lover wore his jacket.

"I'm going to check where Kai lives. I have to see if it's safe for you to visit" he said, smiling tenderly at her.

"Okay. Come back soon" she said with slight eagerness in her tone making him chuckle.

"As my queen wishes" he replied making her blush. "Stefan, keep Elena safe while I'm gone. I will be back in an hour" he said to his brother before he kissed his mate's cheek.

"Damon…" Elena held his wrist. "I…"

"We will talk when I comeback" he replied already knowing what she wanted to say. He nipped at her lips and captured them in a small kiss. "I love you"

"I love you too" she replied.

"He is not going to war, Elena" Stefan interrupted their moment.

Damon let out a cold sigh before he kissed his mate's forehead again and left.

* * *

After Damon left, Stefan and Elena talked. He told her stories about their childhood and she enjoyed each and every one of them. "He was very bossy from the start" Stefan said in an annoyed tone.

"He is bossy with me too" Elena agreed.

"Of course he is. He is the damn chief. Everyone takes his orders so he orders us around too. We should seriously take action against this" Stefan replied and Elena chuckled. Stefan and Elena had bonded over the time. They weren't friends but they were on their way.

It was until thirty minutes later to the time Damon left when Stefan received a call. "Hello, Rudy?" he said, surprised.

"Stefan, we have a little problem with a new vampire" Rudy told him.

"Which one? What happened?"

"They had some sort of-hello?"

"Yes, Rudy. I can hear you"

"Stefan! I can't hear you" Rudy replied.

"Wait…I guess signal problem" he said as he rose up and went outside the room. "Can you hear me now? Rudy? Rudy" Suddenly someone injected something in his arm. He tried to turn around but his senses started to cloud. The doze of vervain was strong. He tried to fight the darkness…but he failed.

* * *

Continuous knocks woke Elena from her nap. She didn't realize when she fell asleep in front of the plasma. "Coming" she said in hoarse tone as she rose up and stumbled toward the door on one foot.

She opened the door and was surprised when she found Tyler's clan members standing outside. She recognized them. Joseph and Brady.

"Ohh..Hi! Damon isn't here yet" she said, with a polite smile.

"Oh that's good." Joseph said, smirking.

"Excuse me?" Elena said, puzzled.

"We are not here for Damon, my dear. We are hear for you" Brady replied as he forcefully entered the room.

* * *

 **NEXT CHAPTER**

"Please…Please don't hurt me" she begged them. "I am pregnant" she added. "Please"

.

.

.

.

"You know what we do Originals…pretty girl. We eat them" he said with a wicked smile.

* * *

 **Thank you for your lovely wishes and Thank you for understanding my issues. Anyhow, I hoped you all enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Please leave me down in the review below if you liked it because I worked really hard on this chapter. I wanted to add lots more but I promised an update today and I didn't have much time.**

 **Your wonderful reviews make my day!**

 **Updates will be faster now. Every 3-4 days.**

 **Who do you think Ripper traitor is?**

 _ **Shout out to Iva (imly) for the best ideas for the ending. She seriously helped alot. Thank you girl!**_

 **Have a great weekend.**

And yes Mia I do plan to write more after I end this story. ;)


	30. True Love Prevails, Universe Be Damned

**Chapter 29**

* * *

 **Warning: Graphical violence and Rape scene! There is a reason this story is rated M. Italics are the flashbacks.**

* * *

"I am sorry…I don't understand" Elena replied, a little startled. She didn't like the look on their faces. "Stefan is right here. He had just gone down-" she added, reminding them subtly that she wasn't alone.

"Rudy's warlock will deal with him. He is not going to wake up anytime soon" Joseph sneered as he stalked closer.

She stepped back. "What are you talking? What's going on? Please stay back"

Brady smirked, looking at Joseph as if signaling him for something. "Elena Michelson, sister of Klaus Michelson—our greatest enemy" Brady said as he stepped forward. "For centuries your elder brother tormented us. He took everything from us, time and time again" He snarled stepping toward her.

"I…I'm…" She stepped back, circling her arms around her slightly swollen belly as if protecting her child from their fierce eyes. Brady's blood shot eyes glared at her. Their utmost disgust for her was written all over their features. Oh! How they hated her.

"He and your goddamn family snatched everything from us." He snarled. "I know. I know what Nick did was wrong and I'm so sorry—" the words were left in her mouth when his hand came up and she felt a blow to her face, knocking her on the floor. A shriek escaped her lips as she fell.

"Shush" Joseph stalked to her, grabbing a handful of her hair. Tears fled her eyes and rolled its way down her cheeks.

"You can't apologize for what your family put us through" he added in a hiss.

"Do you know what he did to us?" Brady added, scowling.

"Please! Please! Don't hurt me" She begged, dragging herself away.

"He took our lands from us. He took our families. He took our right to live." Brady spat as he drew closer to her. Elena tried to get away from him but Joseph was standing behind her. "He tormented and killed our fathers and brothers. They have slain our chiefs over and over again" Brady added.

"Please... please don't hurt me" she begged.

"He drove us to hiding. He killed us to the point of extinction" he continued. Elena whimpered. There was mad look in both of the wolves eyes. She looked around for a way of escape.

If she could just go down there and get help. Her mate should know that she was in danger. Inwardly, she whispered to him for help. But maybe he wasn't close. What if he is too late this time? No she couldn't let these wolves hurt her baby. She wouldn't.

Mustering up all her courage, Elena pushed Joseph away and sprinted to the door. "Fucking bitch" Brady hissed as he ran after her. Before Elena could reach the door, he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back and shoved her on the floor.

"Stay back" Elena warned him. "I'm a spell caster. You don't want to mess with me" she added.

"And now she shows her true face" Joseph smirked. Elena looked at both of them, desperately trying to remember any spell to save herself. "Brother kills our chief and the sister threatens us. They are all the same." He added.

"But you know what we do Originals…pretty girl. We eat them" he said with a wicked smile.

Elena curled her fist, chanting a spell. Color faded from Brady's face. He started shouting and cursing, holding his head in his hands. "What are you doing to him?" Joseph demanded, furious.

"Stop" he ordered. Elena shook her head. A sob escaped her lips and she tried to wrench herself away from him.

Before she could register what happened, a hand flew toward her and hit her with such force that she fell backwards, hitting her head with the edge of table. A sharp pain ran through her head like a lightning bolt. She screamed in pain.

"Are you okay?" she heard Joseph asked Brady.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He answered as his footsteps drew closer to her.

"So where was I?" he said as he bent down on his knees in front of her. "That was a wrong move, Original Princess. You really shouldn't have done that" he said as he gripped her chin.

"Please…Please don't hurt me" she whimpered in fear. "I'm pregnant" she begged.

"Here. Put this in her mouth. This will stop her from chanting more of her spells" Joseph said as he handed Brady a piece of cloth. Despite Elena's protest, he shoved the cloth gag in her mouth while Joseph held her hands from behind, making it impossible to move.

"You know we tried to hide in peace but your brother didn't even stopped there. He used all his powers to push Ripper Vampires to throw us out of town. Luckily, our chief stood by us. Unfortunately, you have even corrupted his mind. You Originals have very successfully turned even him against us"

Elena shook her head, aggressively.

"You told Klaus about the attack on Kol. Didn't you?"

She shook her head again, pleading them with her eyes to let her go.

"We know you did. You were the only one against the attack" Brady said as he hit her. She let out a muffled scream.

"My nephew nearly died. You took my best friend from me and now you want to snatch my nephew Tyler from me too" Joseph growled.

"How can chief expect us to live with this filth? Why can't he see she is sent by him?" Brady spat as his fingers dig in her skull, pulling her hair.

"Just Stake her, Brady. We need to get out of here before Damon comes back" Joseph argued.

"but what would be fun in that?" Brady said as he smirked. "Let's give this bitch what she deserves." He said as his fingers on her cheek started traveling down south. "Kol and Klaus would know never to mess with wolves again after they see what we did to their darling sister" he added, making Elena shiver in fear.

"but Damon—"

"Our warlock will warn us if he sees the chief coming. Don't worry." Brady assured him, his eyes still on their chief's mate. Elena shook furiously in Joseph's arms to release herself but he was stronger.

"but Rudy ordered to kill her straight away"

"What Rudy doesn't know won't hurt him" Brady was determined to ruin her completely. Raw fear ran through Elena's veins. Tears filled her eyes as she fought against them.

"Fine than. While we are at it, let's have some fun" Joseph surrendered as he pushed her toward Brady.

Elena tried to escape. But Joseph caught her wrist and pulled it around her back at an unnatural angle that caused her excruciating pain. A muffled scream escaped her lips. With her free hand, Elena slapped him on his cheek. Her slap did nothing to the Ripper wolf but it angered him. How dare the Original girl slap him? Haven't they harmed his race enough? He wanted to hurt her. He wanted to hurt her brothers. Finally he will have his revenge. "This is for you, Mason" he thought as he drew closer to the whimpering girl, shaking with fear.

"Hold her" Joseph ordered.

Brady stood behind Elena, blocking her way to run. She looked around helplessly. Joseph snickered enjoying her helplessness. She looked like a caged bird searching for escape. He was enjoying it. Finally Originals would know how it feels to lose someone you love. For a second, Mason's bruised dead body flashed before his eyes. He shivered. Days ago, Originals had teamed up to kill his best friend. Now Klaus would know that pain too. He knew very well that Klaus loved his siblings madly. The death of a sibling will destroy him. By killing Elena not only will he hurt Klaus but he will destroy Klaus's plan regarding the magical hybrid child too.

But along fulfilling his duties, he should have some fun too. Even he had to admit that the Original girl was very beautiful. Her long legs were delicious. Her body even with the slight swell was desirable. And her beautiful doe eyes only added to her tantalizing beauty. He licked his lips. He wanted her. She whimpered when Brady pushed him toward her.

Elena clawed at his hands, trying to free herself, but he was stronger than her. She wouldn't. She would never let them touch her. She would rather die. She tried to chant a spell. Her witchcraft still needed a lot of practice but she desperately tried to search a spell in her memory that will help her escape. The gag in her mouth enabled her to word it. By now, her face was wet with tears. She called for her mate to save her. She whispered to him in her thoughts.

Joseph easily subdued her by holding her hands above her head, pinning her to the wall. "Stop, please" she tried to say.

"That's right. Beg for your life, you bitch" he spat as he ripped off her upper from her. Her sheer black night gown was revealed to someone other than her mate now. Tears escaped her eyes and she shrieked, as Joseph's hand traveled down her body touching her intimate parts that only belonged to her mate.

A revolting sense took over her when she felt open mouthed kisses on her neck. The callused hands slid down her body, groping her breasts, touching her thighs.

"Hurry up, Will you? I need my fun too" Brady called from behind in an amused tone.

There was no going back from this now. No one could save her. Elena thought. Her brother's acts finally caught up to him and she was being punished for that. Or maybe this was for falling in love with the enemy. A punishment for abandoning her family. She still didn't regret anything though. She loved her mate to madness. She would always love her mate. In this life. In every life. In any life.

She tried to fight the revolting wolf as he slid down the strap of her dress, nibbling her shoulder. Elena sobbed, heavily as the man's hand drifted to her panties. Such an indignant end to her story. She was going to lose her dignity, her love, her future and her baby, all at the same time.

* * *

 **30 Minutes ago**

Kai wasn't surprised at all when Damon showed up. He was a powerful warlock. He told Damon that he already had a vision that he will eventually come to him.

"Can you please stop sending people in search for me? I'm supposed to be in a hiding you know?" he added as he sat down on a chair.

"From whom? Klaus. If you come to Mystic Falls with us. I assure you that you'll—"

"Shh…shh… You're on his top hit list. Don't make promises you can't keep" Kai said, making himself a drink. "So! It's true. Your mate is an Original. Klaus's sister?" Kai said, raising brows. "I thought you despised Originals"

"Yeah. Long story. I wanted to know if you knew anything about Petrova clan" He said, pouring himself a drink too. He was in no mood to tell his love story to the psychotic warlock. He was already in bad mood because their plan against Kol didn't work. He was also a bit restless because he was far away from his mate. He felt a sort of dread as if something very bad was going to happen. _Elena is safe._ He reminded himself. _She is with Stefan_. He added. Stefan would keep her safe even if his life depended on it.

Stefan, his brother would readily lay down his life for him if Damon asked for it. He obeyed Damon religiously ever since the incident with Katherine. It wasn't the guilt that made him devoted to his brother. It was gratitude. All those years ago, Katherine, Klaus's evil minion almost made Stefan kill his own brother. But now no one could come between them. Stefan knew how much Elena meant to him. He would keep her safe at all cost.

"Petrova clan… why?" Kai said, eyes narrowing.

The next ten minutes passed in which Damon explained everything about Elena, her relation to Petrova clan and their supernatural child. Kai was fascinated by the information.

"So that's why he had been quiet all these years" Kai said more to himself than Damon. "He had a plan all along" he added.

"So do you know anything about this?" Damon asked, hope evident in his tone.

"Of course, I do but I will need to meet your mate first" Kai said, nodding.

"Fine…I'll bring her—" Damon stopped in the mid-sentence as he heard whispers. It wasn't a voice. It was whisper that ran through his blood as if it was making him aware of certain danger. Elena's thoughts had been closed to him after he accidentally found out Kol's weakness through her memories. It wasn't like he did it on purpose. Elena showed him a memory in which Kol was explaining his terror of werewolves. He was attuned to her emotions but her thoughts had been closed to him.

But this whisper, it terrified him. He could feel it. Her fear. Her disgust. Her call for him. This wasn't telepathy. This was just her fear whispering to him, yearning for him. She needed him. Something was very wrong.

"God! You vampires are creepy. Are you having mind sex with your mate in my living room?" He could hear Kai grumble.

Ignoring Kai, Damon took out his phone and called Stefan. To his utmost horror, Stefan didn't answer.

"Damn it. Pick up!" he growled as he called again.

"Steven isn't picking up call?" Kai asked, noticing his stiff demeanor. "Or was it Stefano? I don't remember his name but he was sexy"

"I hear her whispers" Damon said, restless now. He had to get to her now. He just have to see she was okay. Because if she wasn't he didn't know what he would do. Adrenaline shot through him as he tried to access her thoughts. Just one glimpse. He just had to make sure she was okay.

" _Please…Please don't hurt me" she whimpered in fear. "I'm pregnant" she begged._

" _Here. Put this in her mouth. This will stop her from chanting more of her spells"_

He couldn't recognize the voice but whoever the person was, had a death wish. Anger boiled in his veins like lava. He saw red now. It was an unfamiliar anger. It was a rage so strong he felt he would be blinded by it. He would not only kill them. He will inflict unbearable pain on whoever was hurting his mate. He would tear their limb from limb until they are begging for death. There was no stopping his rage now.

* * *

With each step to their current residence his emotions laced with dread, how did he leave her on her own, how could he be so irresponsible with the most precious thing in his life. Where the hell was Stefan?

He flashed before the door and kicked it open. The door flew in pieces revealing the horrendous sight ahead of him.

His mate, his treasure was pinned against the wall, struggling to free herself from the clutches of men who were clawing at her whatever shreds of clothes were left on her naked form.

Anger began to build in him that he had never felt before. It kept building until he thought he would explode. The fire burned through his veins, numbed his mind and gave him a strength that he had never felt before. He wanted revenge. His jaw clenched and his hands closed into tight fists.

Elena's hair were a mess and her delicate skin was stained with dry blood, wounds, scratches and finger prints showing that his mate had put up one hell of a fight. There were hickeys on her skin. Hickeys that he didn't give her. Someone else touched his mate.

Their grips on her loosened as soon as they saw him. They lowered her from the wall, dropping her down. He could hear her muffled sobs coming through her fingers that were pressed to her face now.

He took steps ahead. His blue eyes were rimmed red and bloodshot all the way. The werewolves gulped ,Damon was capable of downing hell upon them. He let his hand out for Elena to hold. Her trembling hands clutched at his while her teary eyes looked up at him, hiding her exposed chest from him, she had been naked before him a million times but right now she felt her disgusted by herself. She didn't want him to see her like this.

As he helped her to sit down on a chair, she groaned in pain again. Damon's hand ghosted over her wounds as he looked at her with anguish. He took out the cloth gag from her mouth. A sob escaped her lips. He took off his jacket and covered her with it. Elena clutched his jacket close to her. Feeling him close, she broke into gut wrenching sobs. She had been through a lot. She couldn't take the pain and humiliation anymore.

"It's okay" she heard him comfort her as he pried her hands away from her face. "I'm here now" he assured her. She nodded, still hiding her face in her hands.

He never felt this before , this was rage , this was his sanity tripping , he wanted to cut the arm that had reached for her. He wanted to prove that he could get killed and kill for love. This was his mad vampire rage. This was his primal instinct to kill anyone who dared harm his mate. He wanted to protect his mate and make her believe that she was safe. Their child was safe.

He turned around to the two werewolves, who were looking at each other with dread in their eyes, there was no point in running, Damon could easily dig them out from anywhere in the world. They had wronged a vampire's mate. Their death was sure.

"How dare you? Damon said cocking his head to a side .

He got ahead and grabbed them both by collars,the next moment knocked them down with much more force, growling. "You touched my mate. How dare you touch her like that? How dare you lay your filthy hands on her?"

They both winced, Damon's vein had starting appearing on his face. If he bit them they would die, Damon's teeth tore through his gums "I'm going to kill you. I'm just thinking of the worst way to do that"

Joseph yelped " We… we can explain"

"She is a traitor" Brady added. "She is an Original"

"Original or Ripper. She is my mate. What a nerve you have! How did you find the courage to put hands on your chief's mate!" He growled, his eyes seething with red anger.

"This isn't you, Damon. This is your primal instinct. Control yourself" Joseph said, taking a step back.

His eyes widened at him, he got ahead and grabbed him by the collar "This is me, you fucking prick! You attacked my fucking mate. Ergo you attacked me. And you know very well what I do to people who attack me. Don't you Joseph?" He snarled.

The vampire attacked him, plunging his teeth into Joseph throat. Not seeing any way to escape, Brady kicked the vampire chief on the back and ripped him away from his friend.

Damon let out a chuckle. They really thought they could defeat him. The Ripper chief. How immature? He was the one who trained them. He turned to the other wolf. Joseph's blood dripping down his chin. He launched an attack with a series of punches. Brady tried to block each blow but failed. He fell on his knees, gasping pleading for mercy.

The Ripper chief kicked him in the rib cage, relishing the sound of bones breaking. He held Brady up by his hair and threw at the wall. He vamp sped toward him and held him by his neck, flashing his fangs at him. Brady cried in agony " Chief, Please! Spare us! Please. We were doing it for the clan. We were only doing it for the best "

This angered him even more. They weren't even ashamed. He threw him back "FOR THE BEST? RAPING MY MATE FOR THE BEST OF OUR CLAN?" He drew closer toward the pathetic wolf.

"She is an Original. She deserves this." He spat, shamelessly.

Damon nodded, mechanically. "Fine! Then I'll give you what you deserve. " His eyes were almost black with rage now. His mind was numb. Vampires never messed around when someone hurt their mate. This was his primal instinct. He had to kill them now.

Howling with rage, Damon launched at the wolf. He grabbed the wolf's head, putting two of his fingers in the eye sockets, with one swift claw he ripped Brady's head off. He could hear Elena's scream from behind.

Seeing the distraction Joseph tried to attack him from behind with a stake, without turning Damon held his arm and a crack sound was heard, now Joseph pleaded " I'm sorry. It wasn't my fault. Brady made me do it. He and- "

He heard Joseph swallow thick. He turned and the headless body behind him fell to the ground " You! You put that cloth in her mouth right ? Did..did you touch her ?"

He shook his head "It was all Brady's fault. I didn't—"

Damon progressed him in his own frenzy "You touched her, You hurt my mate, my Elena!"

He kicked him back , Brady moved forward , kneeling in front of him "Chief mercy, please, I've given you my loyalties throughout my life "

Damon stopped, "I couldn't protect my family. Can you believe that ? I failed again. And you're well aware of how upset I feel when I can't protect the people I love"

Joseph shook "It was all Rudy's idea. He told us that the girl is turning you against Rippers. He said that if we didn't do anything quick we will all be kneeling in front of Klaus soon. He said she was a double agent. This was Rudy's plan."

"How do I believe you?" Damon demanded.

"He gave us an enchanted stone. He said the girl wouldn't be able to escape the room if we placed it in a corner of a room. It's over there" Joseph said as he pointed toward a corner.

It didn't come as a shock. Witches were involved too. Throwing the wolf on the floor, he turned to see the charmed stone that his former warlock friend gave to the wolves.

Seeing him distracted for moment, Joseph slowly reached for the stake again. This was the only way he could save himself. He had to kill the chief. And before Damon knew he reached for it, Elena screamed " DAMON!"

It happened in an instant, He never knew when his mate pushed him out the way and the pointy weapon plunged in the corner of her shoulder. She fell down on the hard floor and howled in pain.

Damon shook his head in disbelief and before Joseph could run, he flashed in front of him, throwing him on the wall behind him, he wanted to hurt every particle of him, he could hear Elena moan in pain , his veins pulsated under his eyes as he approached the werewolf before him with a clenched fist. He plunged his fist in Brady's chest, pulled out his heart and crushed it between his fingers, throwing the blood filled filth away as the dead werewolf fell to ground in front of him like a log.

He turned to run to his mate, she was scratching at the carpet with one hand and holding her stomach with the other.

He took out the sharp stake and she hissed in pain. Her groans didn't stop.

"Elena?"

She circled her arms around her stomach, moaning in pain. "It…It hurts." His eyes widened when he saw drops of blood on her thighs.

She hiccuped "I fell...I fell down earlier. I think I am Mis… miscarrying."

"No. No. No. You're fine. You'll be fine" he promised in utter desperateness. For a minute, even he didn't believe his words.

He scooped her in his arms, moving the sweat and blood smeared hair strands off her face, her eyes were partly opened and she was murmuring "I am going to die" she choked.

He shook his head "No, don't say that"

She inhaled deep to keep herself conscious , her hands caressed his face as if this was her last time.

"Just breathe, Please. I'm getting help. Just breathe" he whispered to her as if went out of the room.

* * *

The nearest hospital was twenty minutes away. His witch doctor wasn't close. And humans weren't good enough but this was his lost hope. He had to compel doctors though. They were going to call police and charge him with domestic abuse but he compelled them to think they were mugged instead.

He didn't know what was it. The atheist in him broke today when he pleaded to God or any force out there for his mate and his child's life. He had to search for his little brother too but he decided he would search once his mate was out of immediate life threatening danger.

He didn't know if it was Elena's Petrova blood magic or his prayers but doctors deemed it miracle that Elena and their little one survived. The sound of their steady heartbeat had been music to his ears. Elena was given immediate medical treatment for her deep wounds. Later Kai showed up and used a healing spell to treat her wounds. However he said it was difficult. The child's magic was much stronger. It repelled him.

Damon had called a few friends from back home. He didn't trust anyone anymore. So he stayed back with Elena while the rest of them searched for Stefan.

It took a half day search to find out that his brother had been heavily drugged vervain and had been tied in the forest with vervain ropes. Meanwhile Elena had been drifting in and out of consciousness.

"What's going on?" Elena said in gorgy voice when she fully regained consciousness after two days.

"Ma'am, Try to relax" She heard a female voice.

"Damon" she called the one person she knew would be close by.

"Here, Baby Vamp. I'm here" she heard his voice and relaxed. Now that she focused, he was standing beside her, holding her hand so delicately she couldn't even feel it. "What happened? My baby… is he?"

"He is fine" he assured her before she could get worked.

"Miss Michelson, you need to relax. Do not think about anything that will increase your blood pressure or promote bleeding. It's a miracle your child survived with an injury like that" she said as she wrote something on her clipboard.

"I… what happened?"

"You were mugged and badly injured. Luckily your boyfriend brought you just in time. Now we have performed some ultrasound and tests on you. Your uterus isn't punctured as per say. No signs of Placental Abruption and even if there is, it won't show up until you reach weak 20"

"She is only 13 weeks far along" Her mate interrupted.

"I am well aware" The doctor replied. "We have found something odd in her ultrasounds though. It maybe because of stress or the trauma but this is a bit concerning"

"What?" Elena asked, immediately.

"You have a condition called Placenta Previa. It's nothing something to very worried about. You still have a long pregnancy. It's a condition when your placenta is unusually low. It's most likely that placenta will migrate back."

"What if it doesn't?" her mate asked. He didn't completely understand medical terms but something told him he wasn't going to like the answer.

"If you're lucky than premature birth. Otherwise it ends up in death of fetus and the mother. There will be a lot of complications in delivery too. For a safe side, I'll advice you complete bed rest during the course of pregnancy and even two months after it. Don't indulge in any physical activity that stresses you. I will prescribe some vitamins too" she instructed.

After a regular checkup, she left the couple alone.

"Hey" Elena said, trying to smile at her mate.

"Hi" he smiled back, but it was a forced smile. Physically she was better but emotionally she was drained and so was her mate.

"How are you?" Elena asked, trying to start a conversation.

"You're asking me that" he said a little bitterly.

"Yes" she said, tugging at his hand, signaling him to come closer. He drifted closer with a tired smile, dropping a light kiss on her forehead.

"I guess, I'm tired. We have been through a lot and we can't just catch a break" he whispered to her. "I don't trust anyone. I can't turn my back one minute without the continuous fear that someone will harm you. And if something happened to you than it would… it would kill me" he said, playing with her hand. "I'm done with all of them, Elena" he said, seriously.

"Damon—" she tried to stop him.

"No, Elena" he said firmly. "This was too far. I'm leaving the clan for good. It's not worth it anymo—"

"You can't." Elena said. "We need them and they need us. They are our family."

"Elena-" he groaned.

"We will talk about it later" she said, holding his hand bringing it to her lips.

"How are you?" he asked, caressing her face.

She looked down, her eyes wet again. "I'm just glad that... that you saved me before they could-" she trailed off.

Damon's fists clenched at that thought. He look furiously insane. He wanted to bring Brady and Joseph back to life and kill them over and over again until they knew she belonged to him only and only he could touch her. He couldn't tolerate any disrespect to Elena. He just couldn't.

A knock interrupted them. "Hey, Can I come in?" Stefan said, as he entered.

"You're already inside the room, Stefan" Elena replied, trying to smile.

Stefan let out a chuckle, ignoring his brother's tense glare. "I got you flowers" Stefan said showing her a bouquet. "Oh! Thank you" Elena said, smiling widely now. She gestured at her mate to take it from him. He rolled his eyes and took the bouquet. "Put them in water" Elena instructed.

"What's the point? They are going to die anyway" he grumbled as he got up and obeyed.

"Someone is cheerful" Stefan commented, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "Don't! Stefan" He warned as he took his place back near his mate's bed.

"Damon… Enzo wants to talk to you. He is waiting outside" Stefan told him.

"Let him wait"

"It's okay. I'm fine you can go." Elena said, pressing his knuckle.

"No" he straight forward refused.

"Stefan is here" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Stefan was there too but look how that ended up" he said, bitterly. He knew it wasn't his brother's fault that the two psycho werewolves almost raped and killed his mate but he still felt bitter. One thing. He had asked his brother to do one thing and that was to keep his mate safe until he was back from meeting and Stefan couldn't even do that.

"I told you that I tried to fight them but they vervained me." Stefan defended himself.

"You're 174 year old vampire. You couldn't fight two wolves in their human form." He hissed.

"They vervained me. I was knocked out—"

"How convenient!"

"Are you indicating something else? You know very well that I would never harm Elena" Stefan hissed.

"Why not? You hated her before"

"I didn't hate her. I was just protecting you. And that was a long time ago. Things have changed now. Elena is my friend now. She is going to be the mother of my nephew. If anything, I love her-" he stopped. "As a sister" he added before Damon could react.

"You know very well that I would do anything to protect her." he continued.

"I can protect my mate, Thank you very much" Damon hissed back.

"Please, please don't fight" Elena pleaded, groaning.

A look of concern crossed both of vampires' features as they nodded. She didn't need to see their issues.

"Sorry" Her mate murmured as he sat next to her on a chair, holding her hand. "You should go talk to Enzo. Maybe he has something important to discuss"

"but—"

"Stefan is here with me" she assured him. "I trust him." She added.

Reluctantly, he nodded as he kissed her palms. "I will be back in a minute" he promised before he left.

* * *

"Joseph was right, Damon" Enzo said dreadfully. "We did find an enchanted stone in the room. Rudy is involved" he added.

"and the warlock that helped them get here" Damon demanded.

"No sign of him but I'm sure Rudy will confess once we corner him" Enzo replied a little uncomfortably. He was worried about Bonnie's reaction to the latest turn of events.

"Did Kai agree to come with us?" he asked, changing the topic even though he knew it was all in vain. Brady, Joseph and Rudy had attacked the chief's mate. Damon wasn't going to rest until he has taken his revenge.

"He only agreed for a week. He wants top security and he doesn't want anyone to know about his real identity." Damon answered, his mind still pondering about situation with Rudy.

"How did you got him to agree?"

"He wanted Elena's Petrova blood but I refused so he settled on my blood" he answered, tone void of any emotion. "Enzo! I want you to go find Rudy and bring him to the boarding house. Then I want you to tell Alaric to call the wolves and witches for a meeting"

"What are you going to do to Rudy?" Enzo asked. "Bonnie will—"

"You'll know with the rest of the Rippers"

* * *

This town was a little far from Rudy's hometown Mystic Falls. But this was the safest place for a meeting such as this. Rudy was told to meet him at this particular bar. Like any typical bar, it was crowded and the air was filled with loud conversations and trance music.

"Rudy Bennett" A cold voice called him.

"Nicklaus Michelson" Rudy replied, standing up.

"Please, sit down" Klaus said with a smirk as he slid on the opposite side of the booth. "So, Does your chief know?"

"No, it's been two days. I guess he killed the werewolves before they could tell them I was involved" Rudy said with sigh of relief.

"So you're safe?" Klaus asked, offering him a drink.

"Yes. For now" Rudy answered, taking a sip from the drink. His palms were sweaty. He was nervous. Betraying friends wasn't that easy. But he had to do that for his daughter. "I did my part now you do your part" Rudy said as he pushed a cell phone toward him. "Call your sister. Tell her to stop attacking my daughter"

Klaus held up his hand. "What's the hurry?"

Klaus Michelson was always good at planning. He wasn't just a brave fighter. He had a sharp mind. He could judge his enemy's weakness in a second. That is why everyone always feared him. Unfortunately, Rippers never had a weakness. Not that he could use. The three species, vampires, werewolves and witches always had each other's back. There was a time when he was even afraid they would attack and conquer his clan.

Than the Ripper chief dug his own grave when he snatched his family member, his little sister. So what if Elena was initially just for a special purpose. He wanted her for the hybrid children that will hold magical powers beyond any bounds. But she was more than that. She was his little sister, his daughter and his friend. And Damon turned her against him. Caroline told him that for Elena Klaus still matters but Klaus thought otherwise.

This wasn't just about power anymore. It was revenge too. He had lost respect at vampire council because of this. A couple of clans withdrew their alliances from him telling him that he wasn't the fit chief he once used to be and he should rather focus on controlling his siblings rather than ruling vampire world. His goal was to get Elena and her child back. But if he couldn't have that he would still not let Elena live with Rippers or the Ripper chief.

But to bring Elena back he had to strip Damon off his power. His clan. Michael guided him to make the perfect plan. First he killed Mason, the werewolf chief to turn werewolves against Damon. He knew they would be enraged and they would want revenge. They would go after Elena and her mate would save her. This would drive a wedge between the wolves and Damon. They would think he was biased and selfish. Then he used Sire bond and ordered Elena to kill Bonnie, the witch chief.

His baby sister nearly got killed in that. Her magic had been out of control and she nearly killed herself too but luckily her mate saved her. He felt guilty but then Michael told him it was useless to feel guilty, she was okay and he should just focus on the plan.

The Sire bond was still intact and Elena attacked Bonnie again. Her magic knew no bounds and Rudy was well aware of that. It was no use of waiting for Elena to learn to control her magic or for Damon to find a way to break the bond. So, he did what Klaus knew he would do. What anyone would do for their children. He begged Klaus to take his order back. He agreed he would help him with anything if Klaus could stop Elena from attacking his daughter. Bonnie couldn't hide from Elena forever. Elena's magic was powerful and he was afraid there might come a day when the witches wouldn't be able to stop her.

Klaus agreed, of course. He asked Rudy to turn wolves against Elena. This surprised Rudy. Why would he want wolves to harm his own sister? But then Klaus ordered him to make sure Elena is safe. He just wanted some rebellions in the clan.

So, he did whatever Klaus had ordered. He sent the wolves after Damon and Elena to Tennessee. Their plan was simple. He was going to make sure wolves attack the Ripper chief's mate. The Ripper chief has to just walk in on them while they were mauling his mate. In his anger, he would kick the werewolf clan out. With werewolves out, Rudy would get rid of witches too soon. The plan was brilliant. And it worked but Rudy did something wrong too. Something Klaus didn't approve of.

"Why is Hon… Elena in hospital? I thought I told you to keep her safe. She must not get injured" Klaus said, darkly.

"Nothing much. Just an injured shoulder—"

"Don't lie to me" Klaus hissed as he held the warlock by the neck. "Tell me what were you planning in this filthy head of yours?"

Rudy knew he was caught. Klaus had given him a warlock of his. John, the warlock helped the Ripper wolves reach Damon and Elena. He wasn't strong as a Ripper witches but he was useful. Klaus had sent John to make sure Rudy doesn't betray him. However Rudy did change the plan.

 **Flashback**

 _"After you reach the rest house. Kill the warlock" Rudy instructed Brady as he explained the plan to them._

 _" Kill him. Why?" Joseph asked._

 _"We don't want to leave any evidence." Rudy said, ignoring their eyes. He couldn't tell them that the warlock belonged Original clan, not theirs._

 _"Kill that bitch" Rudy ordered them._

 **Over**

Rudy's plan was to kill Elena using her brother's plan. This way he would save his clan and his daughter. But the Original warlock escaped before the wolves could kill him. Rudy knew then that Klaus would not spare him. But now he couldn't turn back.

"You tried to kill her. Didn't you?" Klaus growled.

"Nicklaus!" Rudy said as he got up.

"Get him" Klaus's words almost made Rudy confused before a group of vampires attacked him.

He chanted a defense spell. A couple of vampires fell on the ground groaning and shouting in pain. "Klaus! I don't want to do this" Rudy said, looking at the Original chief. He wanted to negotiate his way out. He couldn't fight all Originals at once. His power would drain and then he would be at their mercy.

"You tried to hurt my sister. You tried to hurt my family, Rudy. I'm not Damon. I don't forgive and forget. I punish and kill" Klaus said clenching his fists. His vampires were standing behind him, ready to attack. By now Rudy knew that they had compelled everyone in the bar because no one seemed to care that he was surrounded by so many people.

"Klaus, we had a deal. You gave me your word that…"

"I gave you my word that Elena will not touch a hair on your daughter's head. I didn't say anything about you" Klaus said in a bored tone. "As for your witch daughter. I assure you that Elena will not harm her but I can't say anything about rest of my siblings. Maybe Kol will have go at her…"

"Nicklaus… I work for you. My loyalties…"

"Your loyalties are to no one Rudy. I will be doing Rippers a favor by killing traitors like you" Klaus said stepping closer.

"You won't gain anything from this" Rudy said desperately to the enraged Original. "What if I tell you something that will help you get Elena…" he choked.

Klaus halted. "I'm listening"

"Two months from now, there is going to be lunar eclipse" Rudy informed.

"I already know, Rudy—"

"It's the night all witches are useless. We won't be able to draw power. It's the night werewolves would be useless as well. Only vampires guard the town. You can attack that night. They won't be able to survive. Rippers only have limited white oak tree stakes and that are stored near the wolf cellar. Eclipse will only last for thirty minutes but that's more than enough for you to go down there and kill them all. Isn't it? Please let me go" Rudy begged.

Klaus let out chuckle.

"They are already divided now, Klaus. You can easily win" Rudy begged. "Just let me and my daughter go, please"

Klaus let out a cold laugh. He looked like he had just won the lottery. "Fine, Rudy" he said. "You made me happy. I will grant you freedom." Klaus said patting his shoulder. "Release him" he ordered and the vampires immediately let him go.

"You're free, Rudy" Klaus said, smiling.

"Thank you so much" Rudy said with a bow. "You're really merciful, Thank you so much" he added with relief as he moved fast toward the exit. Suddenly he felt bile rise up his throat. "Help," he screamed out in anguish as he vomited blood.

"What did you to me?" he screamed as he fell on floor, gasping to breath.

"Lesson one Rudy, Never accept a drink from an enemy" Klaus said with a smirk as he threw a small bottle at him. "The most lethal toxin on earth, Rudy. " He added as he bent on his knees, grinning. "Good bye, Rudy. See you in hell"

* * *

Damon's decision had shocked everyone. Despite Enzo's efforts Rudy couldn't be found. It was like he disappeared. With Rudy's disappearance Tyler had no proof that he and his clan didn't plan an attack on Elena.

"Damon, I assure you that we as a clan were not involve in this disgusting conspiracy. I did not send them after Elena" Tyler insisted.

"I have taken my decision" Damon said firmly. "We are not responsible for your safety anymore. Your clan should pack up and leave my town by nightfall" he ordered firmly.

"You can't do this to us. Our forefathers made a treaty with you—"

"Your forefathers promised that they will respect me and accept all my decisions. You however broke that treaty when you conspired against 'my mate'. I will not tolerate disrespect of my mate. You should be glad I'm not killing each and every one of you." He spat in disgust.

"Alaric" Tyler said looking at the elder vampire. Alaric was the only one Damon listened to in clan decisions.

Alaric shook his head. He wasn't going to say anything. He understood completely what Damon and his mate must have gone through. He had gone through the exact same years ago when his mate died. Werewolves had been conspiring against Elena for a while, he and Damon were well aware of that. It was most likely Tyler had sent his clan members to kill their chief's mate.

"What is going on here?" A very weak female called.

"Baby Vamp" Damon said as he moved toward her. Slowly, he guided her to a couch. Tyler bit his lip in anger as he stared at the weak human/ vampire girl in disgust. "Is it true? You're breaking treaty with the wolves" she asked, holding his arm.

Damon frowned. Just than Stefan came from the living room. "Where is the Orig—here you are" he sighed with relief when he spotted her. Recently, Stefan and Elena had developed friendship. It was Stefan's sense of guilt that made him warm toward the ex-Original Princess.

"You told her" Damon crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side as he glared at his brother.

"She got it out of me" Stefan said, ashamed.

"You can't do that, Damon." Elena said firmly as she made him sit next to her. Tyler immediately looked up. What? The Original girl was taking his side.

"You can't tell me what to do and what I can't do" he said, bitterly. He had been bitter with everyone but her ever since the attack on Elena. "They attacked yo—"

"They didn't attack me, Damon. Brady and Joseph did. The werewolf clan as a whole wasn't involved. And even if they were, you don't have any proof against them" she reasoned with him.

"You don't know them, Baby Vamp" Damon hissed. "They are all the same"

"No, please. Don't say that" Elena said shaking her head. "Don't talk like Nick" she added.

"Elena" he groaned.

"No, Damon. They are your family. They had been with you from over hundred years. You can't just kick them out for something they didn't do. You can't punish the entire clan for what Brady and Joseph did. That's wrong. That's what Nick would want. Your power is in your unity. Please don't do this. Please don't break your clan" she added, holding his hand.

"Elena is right, Damon" Stefan said. "The werewolves had been with us for over a century. I know what Brady and Joseph almost did to Elena was unacceptable but we can't kick out the whole wolf clan for that. It will destroy our years and years of hard work and practice"

Tyler was completely startled. Never in his entire life had he thought the Original Princess would take his side and insist on him and his clan to stay. He thought every Original hated them.

Damon looked at Alaric as if asking him what to do next. His mate and his brother's arguments were valid. But how could he forget the attack on his mate? How could he forget her injured state, her torn dress, her desperate sobs? And he almost lost his child too. How could he forgive that?

"Please, Damon" Elena pleaded him. "That won't be fair to werewolves. They are our friends. Please"

"What do you say? Enzo" Damon asked his best friend.

"My vampires and I will accept whatever decision you take." Enzo said. "My mate, the witch chief would say the same" he added on behalf of Bonnie who wasn't present because of certain duties. Bonnie had been worried sick about her father, initially. But when she found out how her father conspired against her best friends and then ran away like a coward, she was disgusted. It didn't mean she hated him though.

Damon took a deep breath, held it and then breathed out. His mind working to analyze pros and cons of his decisions without being biased.

"Tyler, I take my orders back for now" He finally said. "But we will revise the terms of our treaty over a meeting soon" he added.

"Of course, my chief" Tyler said, a look of relief evident on his face. He mouthed 'Thank you' to the chief's mate, their Ripper Queen. Elena nodded, smiling.

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur. Kai had agreed to help them. But he wanted a heavy price for it. He wanted Elena's blood. At first Damon had refused without a second thought but then when Elena agreed he didn't have any choice.

Kai performed multiple magic spells on Elena to find out nature of the hybrid child. So far they found out that their child would be human. He would grow up like normal human do but he would have supernatural powers. He would not lose his magical powers even if he was turned to vampire form. There was still much more to know and Kai was helping but with a heavy price, of course.

Alaric warned them though. Kai had a twisted mind. He could do anything. Damon kept a pretty tight eye on him. In no way would he allow anyone to harm Elena and his child anymore. They had been through enough.

Days flew by and everything was almost back to normal. Kai had taught Elena to fight the urges that her Sire bond with Klaus brought. They couldn't completely break the bond. Kai had told them that the only way they could break the sire bond was if either Klaus releases her, himself or if Klaus dies.

Damon faced almost no opposition from werewolves anymore. Tyler even invited him and Elena on dinner. They were looking forward for friendly relations now. They didn't want to be kicked out of Mystic Falls. They were afraid of their fate if Originals ever got a hold of them.

The first couple of nights after attack, Elena used to have nightmares. She would wake up screaming but Damon was always there to calm her down. It pained him to see her like that. So scared and vulnerable. He managed to soothe her. She craved him more than ever. Damon however put their intimacy on hold for a while. He didn't want to remind her of that horrible incident. There was a whole week in his life when he didn't even kiss her until she begged him to. After two weeks, Elena had enough of his precautions.

"I want this" She told him, pulling him closer. "I want you, now" she added, huskily as she peppered kisses down his neck.

"Baby, Are you sure?" he said, still fighting the need for his mate.

"Yes" she replied. "Now, kiss me" she ordered, as her mouth descended on his. He was delighted by the fact that his kisses could soothe her like that. She said it helped chase the nightmares and bad feelings away.

Finally, their lives were normal. There was just one more thing to do.

* * *

" _If we aren't going out anywhere than why do I have to dress up" Elena whined as she got up._

" _for me" Her mate insisted._

" _You're so bossy" Elena said as she got up._

" _I am the chief of Rippers. I'm used to people following my orders. Of course, I'm bossy" he said, rolling his eyes._

 _Elena glared at him but then she surrendered. He wanted her to dress up for him today. While she wanted to just lie down on her bed and be lazy like she always was. Grumbling about how controlling he was, she got up from her bed and took the red dress from him that he wanted her to wear_. _While he waited for her to come out, he walked toward the their mutual dresser. When he opened the dresser, a box fell out. Narrowing his eyes, Damon bent down and picked it up. He recognized it. It was the box, Elena's Aunt Jenna sent a few days ago._

 _The box was filled with Elena's personal diaries from years ago, from a time he didn't even knew she existed. These were her personal thoughts. It would be so wrong to invade her privacy. He always had a bad habit of snooping into things he wasn't supposed to look. "Just one entry" he murmured to himself as he picked up a diary from when Elena must have been sixteen._

 _A picture of Elena in cheerleading costume welcomed him on the front page. "How cute!" he chuckled as he started reading. He found several baby pictures of Elena tossed in the pages of the diary as he read._

 _He didn't even notice when Elena came out of the washroom, dressed in his new favorite color. With her brunette longs lock spilled down her back, caressing her slender neck and her red dress that hung off her shoulders emphasizing her neck and the swell of her breasts, her swollen baby bump was visible yet she looked more like a delicate rose._

 _Ignoring his hungry gaze purposely, she walked up to the mirror to put on some light makeup. He had a dazed look on his face as he smiled at her, the blue of his eyes coming to life as their eyes met in mirror. She blushed and looked down, trying to pull away from her mate's gaze. He watched as she opened her lip gloss and applied it to her lips. When her lips were fully coated, she took the time to rub them together, subtly teasing him._

" _You're so beautiful" he whispered truthfully running his gaze over the dips and slopes of her body, unable to believe this doe eyed brunette was all his now. Only his._

" _Go on" Elena said confidently, despite the shy smile on her face. "You know how much I 'love' compliments"_

" _More beautiful than how Scarlett Johansson looked in the Late Night with David Letterman" Damon said with a smirk. He had just read about how Elena wanted Scarlett Johansson look for a high school party, years and years ago and how her sister had helped with her makeover. She had even attached a picture of herself in the very look. 2006 Elena was very amusing and self-centered, like any teenage girl.  
_

" _What?" Elena's brows furrowed in confusion. Then her eyes drifted to the dairy he was holding in his hands._

" _What is this?" Elena demanded, her eyes wide._

" _Your diary from 2006" he said with a wide smile._

" _Give that back" Elena said as he sprinted toward him. He immediately flashed away, out of her reach. "Damon, Please" Elena pleaded, her cheeks red with embarrassment. "No, I'm enjoying my read way too much" he said, a glint of mischief visible in his eyes._

" _Damon, give it back" she said as she hurried toward him._

" _I like your baby pictures. They are very cute especially the one with green dress" He said as he flashed toward the living room. She hurried behind him._

" _Oh My God! Give it back" she shouted, her cheeks in all fifty shades of red. She tried to reach for her diary but he held it up, away from her. "Damon, please" she said, clawing at his hand._

" _Dear Diary! Last night I saw a dream that Channing Tatum was proposing to me. We were at the beach and he bent down on his knees and—"_

" _GIVE IT BACK" she said, pouting. She looked like she was about to cry. He handed her diary back to her before she could burst into tears. He was only playing with her. He didn't mean to actually upset her._

" _Dream Proposal" he said, teasing her._

" _I was sixteen year old" she defended. "I want nothing like that now."_

" _so what do you want?"_

" _Something simple." She replied not much noticing the question he asked._

Two weeks from that particular day he had finally decided to put out the big question. 'Will you marry me?' he practiced over and over again in his head. But when he arrived home he found out his mate had gone out to buy groceries. He was enraged. Elena's doctors have strictly advised her bedrest. How could she go out like that? And alone. He was just going to go out to get her when a car stopped in his driveway and a man helped his mate out of it. "Be careful" the guy instructed to her.

"Where the hell were you?" he said as he sprinted toward his mate and the human boy who helped her out."We were out of butter and I had this mad craving for pizza…" Elena trailed off when she noticed his furious eyes.

"Thank you for dropping me home, Mark" she said kindly to the human boy despite his anger. "Anything for a beautiful lady like you, Elena" he said with a smile. After some formal conversation he bid her farewell and left. Elena noticed that her mate had been quietly fuming the whole time, not uttering a single word.

"Say it" Elena finally said. She knew his anger was bubbling inside. It would be better if he let it out.

"You took lift from a complete stranger" He gritted through his teeth. "You could have gotten hurt. He could have taken advantage of you. How could you be so careless?"

"Damon, he just dropped me home safe and sound in front of you" Elena said as she walked inside the house. "He even helped me with the groceries. He was perfectly nice guy"

"Wow! He helped you with your groceries and now he is the nice guy" her mate hissed, a bit of jealousy dripping from his tone. To Elena, sometimes his anger and his jealousy were pointless and petty. But then again he was looking out for her. He had seen her hurt time and time again and he just couldn't bear it anymore. "He could have been a serial killer" Damon added.

"What's going on?" Stefan interfered.

"The usual" Elena hissed. "Your brother being over dramatic again"

"I'm being over dramatic" he said, his brows furrowed. "She went out of the house at this time of the night and then instead of calling me to pick her up. She took a lift from a complete stranger"

"-In Mystic Falls, the town which is filled vampires and all sort of supernatural creatures that still despises your presence" Stefan said to her, disappointed. "Anything could have happened" Damon added.

"but nothing happened" Elena reasoned. "I came back safe and sound"

"You're medically unfit. You're still weak. You can't even move around the house without our help. Why would you go out?" her mate said, furious. "You know your irresponsible behavior is really irritating" he added. He was scolding her as if she was a child. His tone was mixed with concern, protectiveness and slight pointless jealousy.

"Your controlling behavior is irritating too" Elena spat back.

"This is pointless, Damon. I just don't want to talk to you right now" she said as she turned around.

"I don't want to talk to you ever" he spat back but ran after her, helping her with groceries. Stefan rolled his eyes in annoyance.

It took Stefan nearly two hours to convince them to make up. He had to remind Elena that Damon was a bit controlling but he had gone through hell the last time she ended up hurt. And he reminded Damon that he was supposed to propose to Elena tonight.

After spending a half an hour inside their closed bedroom, they came out for dinner, back to being the couple crazy in love with each other. After making sure the very much happy couple won't end up fighting again, Stefan mouthed 'Best of Luck' to his brother and left.

* * *

They were sitting on their balcony under the star filled sky on a rug, playing scrabble. Damon was winning again. He had years and years of knowledge. "I win" he said as he fell laughing.

"No, you didn't" Elena said, frowning. They were both very competitive. In many cases, she always won. "Kua is not even a word" Elena added.

"Get a dictionary, Baby Vamp" he said, grinning. "and then look it up. Yes, I win!"

"No, you didn't. You spelled it wrong. It's not K-U-A. It's Q-U-A." Elena countered.

"Huh!" he said narrowing his eyes. "You're right" he said with a groan. "Well the game isn't over yet" he said as he rearranged his letters.

"It is" Elena said, excited, showing him her board S-A-V-I-O-R. "Hmm. You win" he replied, frowning trying to hide his smile when she started celebrating. His girl just loved to win. That's why he always let her win.

"Of course, I do" she said proudly. "When have I not won?" she added.

"Over Confidence suits me better" Damon replied, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Rematch" he demanded.

"No, losers don't get second chances" Elena said, grinning.

"Fine" he said with a heavy sigh. "Let's pack up and go to bed. Give me that box" he added, pointing to the box behind her. She nodded and got up from the rug. "Don't worry, love. You will win someday" she teased as she turned around and picked up the box. When she turned back to him, he had dropped to one knee; holding a ring towards her. "I will win today, if you say yes?" When he looked up at her through his lashes she had to lock her knees to keep from melting. "Oh, my God!" She covered her mouth with both hands and gasped.

The beautiful emerald ring shimmered in the moonlight, just like his future wife.

"I know we are bound to each other by blood bond and I know you don't want my ring" he said.

"Damon—"

"but I have shown you in every way that you're my life and I have never been happier before"

"Exactly, Damon. Me too" she agreed but he continued.

"I want you to be mine. Mine and mine alone. I want you in every second of every single day. I want you in every way a man could want a woman. I have your body. I have your soul but now I want to claim you completely, I want to give you my last name too. Marry me?" he finished passionately and seemed to be waiting for her response.

She sunk on her knees next to him and touched his face so lightly as if he was a dream. "How do you expect me to say no to that?" she said in a hoarse tone. "Yes" she added, eyes brimming with tears, she threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him. "Yes. Yes. Yes" she repeated.

He circled his arms around her, nuzzling her hair, kissing her neck. He felt like he had just won the best prize in the world.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Do tell me if you're still reading! This story completely drains my energy and I have to see if it's worth to continue.  
**

 **Special shout to Sarah for the most brilliant story 'Burning Desire'. It's seriously very lit. It's a must read.**

 **And yes I do plan to write more if I complete 'In love with the enemy'**

 **Have a great day everyone.**

 **Review please?**


	31. All of our bridges burnt down

**Chapter 30**

* * *

Rebekah stood in front of their family portrait and stared at it in dismay. She remembered this picture. She had worked nonstop for a week to take the perfect picture. Mikael and Isobel stood in the center near the grand staircase, Klaus standing proudly on the left with his one arm around his beautiful wife Caroline, Kol and Davina standing next to them. Rebekah, Elena and Marcel stood on the left of Isobel. Rebekah's one arm around her mate's arm and the other around her child sister. "The Michelsons" were engraved on the bottom of the portrait.

Their siblings unity was exemplary. They never let anyone come between them. Their love and devotion for each other was what made them one of the strongest clan on earth. But Rebekah just realized that it was all fake.

It was Rebekah's duty to always follow whatever their chief, her elder brother, orders. There were some agendas of her brother that she didn't support yet she never found it in herself to oppose Klaus. The same went for Kol. He hated Mystic Falls but when Klaus ordered him to stay, no matter how much he despised the little town he just couldn't fight Klaus's orders.

They thought it had been out of respect for their chief. But they had been terribly wrong. Along with clan, Klaus had been playing them too. He snatched their will from them. He used 'sire bond' on them. They were nothing but slaves to him.

She realized that on the day when Klaus forced her to lure Elena's mate to Richmond so that Klaus could kill him.

 _"You have her under your little mind control bond too…huh…pathetic." Damon had mocked Klaus when Klaus had ordered her to stay back._

She did a research and found out that all their clan, Kol, Elena and Rebekah herself were under Klaus's mind control. They called it the 'Sire Bond'. She immediately told Kol about it. He didn't believe her first as he trusted Klaus more than he trusted himself. But soon realization hit him. He was so upset he was ready to stake his brother right there but Rebekah stopped him. He was more powerful physically and mentally. He could easily compel away their memories.

They begin to search for a way to break the sire bond secretly. They were always on vervain because they were afraid Klaus would get suspicious and compel away their memories.

Also, Klaus had broken their trust. He took advantage of them. Rebekah and Kol could never forgive that. She and Kol had decided that once they find a way to break the sire bond they would leave the clan for a while.

They still loved their brother and would easily lay down their lives for him but they wouldn't compromise their will for him.

Looking at the picture, she felt sadness build inside her like tiny temblors. Kol and Davina would leave soon. Elena had already left them for her mate. Rebekah and Marcel were planning to leave too.

She wondered if things could ever go back to the way they used to be. Have dinner. Go out shopping. Hold grand parties. There was a list. But sadly, none of that was possible anymore. There was a time when she couldn't imagine being estranged from any member of her family and now her family was broken. She couldn't fix it.

"Bex!" she heard Caroline call her from behind.

"I'm here Blonde. What do you need me for?" she said, her mask of indifference back on. No one was allowed to miss Elena. No one was allowed to even say her name.

"Come with me" Caroline said hesitantly, gesturing Rebekah to follow her.

"I don't have time for this, Care" Rebekah said, bitterly. She loved Klaus's wife. Caroline had a heart of gold but ever since Elena left the Originals, Kol and Rebekah felt bitter toward Caroline. It was after all the girl's fault their family was broken.

"It's about… Elena" Caroline said.

Rebekah stopped on her tracks. She turned around, crossing her arms across her chest.

"What about Honey?" Rebekah said.

"Not here" Caroline whispered. "In my room" she said, guiding her husband's sister to her bedroom.

"What is it? Care" Rebekah asked once the door was locked.

"He… he is not going to like it if I tell you" Caroline mumbled as she paced around the room. "but Honey is my friend and she saved me. I owe her" she added.

"Caroline!" Rebekah said, standing in front of her. "What's Nick planning? He isn't killing her right?" she asked. Surely Klaus would never harm one of their own. His hatred for Rippers couldn't surpass his love for his siblings.

"I don't know, Bex" Caroline said, dropping on the bed. "I heard him talking to someone about a Ripper warlock. Rudy or whatever… he ordered them to make sure he is weak. He is planning an attack on Rippers soon. They were talking about how they had a way to break the blood bond." She mumbled.

"What non sense?" Rebekah said, frowning. "Blood bond can't be broken. It's impossible"

"I know" Caroline said, getting up again. "but it's Nick. He always gets what he wants. He must have found a way. Elijah came to meet him yesterday too."

"I think they are planning to break their blood bond and then kill her mate" Caroline added.

"but why?" Rebekah said, astonished. Why was Klaus so obsessed with getting Elena back? He must want something from her.

"I don't know Bex" Caroline shook her head. "but you have to stop him. He doesn't know what he is doing. His madness for revenge will kill him. Rippers are dangerous. He is playing with fire"

Rebekah nodded, lost in thought. What was it about Elena that Mikael and Klaus were so hell bent on getting her back? She has to find out about it. She will not allow one of her siblings destroy the other.

* * *

Damon rolled his eyes as soon as he entered his bedroom. Elena was sleeping soundly on the bed. This morning she had insisted she wanted to go shopping for her wedding dress. Since she had no girlfriends anymore (Bonnie wasn't allowed near her due to Sire bond) Damon opted to take her out. She refused and told him strictly that it was bad luck for groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding. He then told her he wasn't going to let her go alone and she would have to order online.

That lead to a heated argument in which Elena told him that just because he was her fiancé it didn't mean she would let him control her. She was independent as she used to be before she moved in with him. He tried to explain it to her that he was only trying to keep her healthy and safe. He reminded her that their OB-GYN had strictly advised her bed rest. But sadly, Elena's pregnancy brain refused to accept any sort of logic. Stefan intervened and offered to accompany her. They had been out the whole day even though he specifically told Stefan to bring her back soon as he didn't want her to tire herself.

Elena being Elena didn't listen to him. And now she was lying on bed, sleeping like a baby. Tired and vulnerable. He caressed her toes, and then kissed her legs, her thighs until he reached her stomach. In the past two months life couldn't have been better. Only two weeks ago they found out about their baby's gender.

" _It's a girl" Elena said._ _Teary-eyed, she smiled up at him, noticing that his eyes were full of joy. It had been a surprise for him. (Lately they loved giving each other pleasant surprises)After a tiring day, he came back home. She had surprised him with a dinner that was surprisingly good. (Stefan helped her in preparation)_

 _After the dinner, she gave him a colored envelope, standing next to him. He ripped it open and found an ultrasound in it. He looked at her, frowning. What did this mean?_

 _Her face blushed red and with a shy smile she answered. He stared at the ultrasound and it felt like a storm._ _ **A baby girl.**_ _He swallowed._ _ **She is having my child. My baby girl.**_ _He suddenly felt whole. As if this had been what he always craved. He felt unexplainable love for the baby he hasn't even seen yet._

" _Our baby girl" he said in a trance like state. In span of a second he imagined a little girl with doe eyes and his hair. He wanted to hold the child right in that moment even though he knew it was impossible. He wanted to look at her and see his and Elena's features in her face._

 _He went down on his knees. His hands cupped her swollen belly and lovingly kissed the curve of her pregnant belly, and thereby their child. He started talking to her pregnant belly, telling their baby girl how much he loved her, how much she mean to him more than anything in the world. He promised her he would put the world in her feet._

 _For Damon and Elena, that night had been one of the most beautiful nights of their life._

Elena shifted slightly under him, snapping him out of one his most precious memories. He caressed her belly, lightly. Her breathing was uneven. She was awake and just pretending to be asleep. He smirked. He knew just how to wake her. He crawled into bed and put his head on her naked stomach.

In the past two months, he had somehow learned to communicate with his baby girl. Their daughter was daddy's little girl already. He could easily wake her up whenever he wanted her attention. He put both of his hands on either side of his fiancé's hips and nuzzled her belly, kissing right above her belly button.

"I think your mum is still mad at me" he whispered. "but mum doesn't understand that I'm only looking out for her."

Elena frowned. Her eyes were still closed.

"Your dad called me stupid and irresponsible in front of his friends" Elena replied as she brought her hands up to cover his hands on her stomach.

"That's because your mum was acting stupid" he argued back.

"Stop turning my daughter against me" she glared at him.

"Your daughter? ' ** _Grogda_** ' is daddy's girl" he said as he pressed a loving kiss to the rounded curve of her pregnant belly.

"Wha.. what?" Elena's eyes snapped open. She wriggled into a sitting position against her headboard. "What did you just call our little one?"

He pulled the most serious face he could manage at that moment. "Grogda"

"We are not naming our daughter Grogda" she said, appalled. "That sounds like a green witch or a toad. Who would name their daughter Grogda?"

"Grogda was the name of our grandmother" he said, looking down. "She was the one who raised me and Stefan" he added. He looked genuinely hurt by her words. "Why are you making fun of the only woman who had been nice to us?"

"I didn't mean to—"

"You called her a green witch. A toad!"

"I didn't call her… I'm sorry I didn't mean to disrespect your grandmother"

He saw the way her mouth hung open and her eyes filled with guilt. She uttered apologies but her face gave away the turmoil inside her. She wanted to respect his feelings but Grogda was a really ugly name.

He watched her guilt ridden face intently before his serious resolve broke and he burst out laughing. "Seriously…seriously you actually believed that?" he managed to say between bouts of laughter.

"You're very mean" she said, embarrassed. She actually did believe him. She was afraid she had stepped a line and had hurt his feelings. She threw her pillow at him with a pink blush creeping up her face. "I hate you. I'm never going to talk to you again." she said as she grabbed one of the pillows off of the bed and started to bombard him with it.

Using his vampire strength, he snatched the pillow from her and threw it in the corner of the room, still laughing at her flustered expression. She frowned, crossing her arms on her chest to emphasis her pout.

"Oh, come on Baby Vamp! I was only kidding." He said as he nudged her. When she didn't respond, he went right to laying his head in her lap. He looked up at her through his dark lashes. "I'm still in shock, y'know" he said.

"I've got world in my hands. I still can't believe we created a life" he reached out to touch her face. When he caressed her cheek, she snuggled against his palm.

"You know when I saw you—I always thought you had too much goodness, too much kindness and love inside you that had to be passed on to little versions of you. I knew it was impossible but guess what? Miracles do happen." He touched her face as if his hand would melt into her softness.

"You can name her whatever you want. I just want my baby girl healthy and safe." He looked at her with so much love and adoration that her heart skipped a beat. She ran her delicate fingers through his hair lovingly. "Have I ever told you that I'm madly in love with you?" She said, softly.

"Once or twice, in between your attempts to stake me when I accidentally put ketchup on your spaghetti" he replied with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes as she remembered that. She was hormonal and very emotional. Just like morning sickness, the mood swings that hit during pregnancy hit hard and fast. But her mate had been tolerant of all that. He told her that she may be annoying and hormonal but he loved each and every one of these moments.

"That was one time" she said, flustered. He let out a chuckle at her expressions.

"but you know that I love you, right?" she said, earnest.

He cupped the back of her head and pulled her down to him. It was slow, his lips moving over hers, his tongue forcing her lips apart, and his tongue then darting into her own mouth. It felt like they kissed for ages. He didn't let her go until she sighed in his mouth.

"I know" he whispered, once he pulled back.

* * *

At last he was so close to his destiny. Klaus was proud of his plan. The night of the lunar eclipse was close. He only had to wait two more weeks and then his family would not only be reunited again but also he would be the most powerful among all. His clan would rule again. He would be the 'King'.

"Are you sure about it?" Lady Pearl asked him.

"Things could turn horribly ugly at very short notice." Lord Hummel warned him. "If the councils finds out about this they will kill her and all your work would go to waste"

"No one… and I said no one will ever dare to touch my sister" Klaus growled. "I don't tolerate non sense when it comes to Rebekah, Kol and Elena." He added.

"I know, Nicklaus" Lord Hummel stammered. He was a thousand year old and yet Klaus's madness could easily intimidate him. "I'm just telling you what if the Rippers inform the council. I will have no other way but to take action against the girl. The council will consider this hybrid child as an abomination. You might be strong but you can't do anything if they all come for you"

"That's what you're for" Klaus replied. "You'll make sure the news of the attack doesn't reach council. Isn't it? My dear Lord and Lady" he said with a smirk as he checked all his weapons one last time.

Lady Pearl nodded. "Klaus, I assure you that—"

Klaus raised his hand, indicating that Pearl should stop talking. She frowned but then realized what he meant when Kol burst through the door. "Nick! Elijah Smith is here to see you. Should I let him in?"

"Yes, please." Klaus said.

"Indeed."

"and Kol where were you yesterday?" Klaus asked. Kol had been unavailable lately. He was always busy. At first Klaus didn't notice but soon Kol's strange behavior and his constant disappearance worried him.

"I was out of town with Davina. We went to meet a friend of hers." He answered, truthfully. Klaus's sire bond made it impossible for him to lie to his chief. He wasn't lying when he told his brother that he was out with his mate to meet a woman who told him she knew a way to break the sire bond.

"Can you please postpone your little honeymoon trips with your mate? If you haven't noticed we are in the middle of war right now" Klaus hissed.

"As you say" Kol agreed as usual.

When they were on the dinner table Kol could easily talk back to his brother and tease him. But when Klaus was in his chief mode no one dared to anger him from the fear of getting staked. He didn't tolerate disrespect.

"Klaus!"

"So what do say Elijah? Do you accept my deal?" Klaus said, smirking. He was aware Elijah liked his sister. At first Elijah had been hesitant when Klaus told him about his plans. Elijah loved power just as much as Klaus did. He had a clan war going on his own area and he needed Klaus's support.

Klaus's offer was good. He would get the Original princess, the hybrid child and the power that comes with them. But Elena was already bound in blood bond.

Klaus had a found a way around the blood bond. If Elijah accepted Klaus's offer he would get everything he wanted and needed, except true love. He would know there was his soul mate out their but he wouldn't be able to get her and leave Elena Michelson. Klaus had made him promise that.

Promise with Klaus was a contract in itself. Klaus would hunt him down and kill him if he breaks the promise.

It wasn't that he didn't like Elena. But she was already claimed by another vampire. She could never be his true love even if they managed to be successful in their plans.

He had two ways in front of him. True love or Power?

He chose Power.

"I agree to all your conditions but you have to keep your side of the deal too" Elijah said.

"Of course" Klaus said circling him. "You'll be respected like royalty. I will immediately send my vampires to your area and order them to kill each and every one of your rival clan. You'll have as much power as I have if not less."

"What deal is he talking about?" Kol inquired.

"Kol! How many times do I have to tell you to not interfere into matters you don't understand? Your job is to keep my army ready; you should probably get to that" Klaus hissed.

He bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. He hated it when Klaus treated him as if he was a child. But Klaus was his chief and it was a crime to disrespect him.

"Yes sir" Kol said.

"and I need you at my house tonight" Klaus added when Kol turned to go. "We will go over the plan once more."

* * *

Silent stars burnt in the dark night of the summer sky. Elena looked around gasping with delight taking in all the shimmering lights and golden lace icicles dangling from the ceiling of the huge tent. Outside the tent, staff set up tables for the food and decorated the trees around the yard. This summer gala party was hosted by werewolves. This was a ritual in Ripper's Mystic Falls. Werewolves were celebrating their treaty with Ripper vampires that they made a hundred years ago. The treaty almost broke just a few days ago but Elena managed to convince her mate even though he wasn't really thrilled about it.

It was because of their petty grudges that he almost lost his mate and his daughter. What if he was too late? They would have raped his mate and killed her. He couldn't even imagine that.

He had made sure Tyler knew that he was still bitter about it and Tyler needed to keep his wolves under control. On the other hand, werewolves now respected Elena a lot. They finally accepted her as one of their own.

"There are million other places I'd rather be" Elena's mate said in a bored tone. He was extra strict with wolves now. He didn't even want to attend the summer gala but Elena insisted she wanted to go out and enjoy. (Tyler had specially invited her) And who was he to deny his mate anything she wanted.

"It's not that bad." She rolled her eyes at his disdain toward his own clan mates. "What happened to the man who literally kidnapped me half a year ago because he wanted to show me off to his clan?" she teased.

"I have already apologized about that." He replied with a frown. At that time all he thought was to claim his mate. It was his primal instinct as a vampire. Now when he thought about it he felt guilty. Unknowingly he had put her through a lot.

"I'm not talking about that." Elena said as she shook her head. "I'm talking about the passion. I'm talking about how you used to just throw caution to the wind and would act on your impulse. You didn't used to worry so much before."

"That was before I became father to a baby girl." He said as he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Now I have to think about our family's future. I have to be more responsible. I can't afford any mistake."

"I know that you have a lot on your shoulders. You have to think about 'our' clans. You have to think about our family, our future daughter. And I can understand you take your job very seriously and that it means everything to you but, once in a while, you have to blow off some steam. Working all the time and worrying so much is not healthy." She cupped his face, staring up at him.

"I'm a vampire, I'll live." He loved that she cared so much about him.

"Physically yes but this constant worries will harm you psychologically." She replied. "You're not alone in this, Damon. You have your brother, you have your best friends and you have me. We will help to shoulder some of your burdens. We are in this together and we will get through this together." She stopped for a second and took a deep breath. "and if the Originals comes after us, we will fight them together." It took a lot of courage to say that but she had made her mind. Her loyalties were to Rippers now.

He looked at her awe struck by her sacrifice not her beauty, well that too. He took her hand and kissed it, looking deep into her eyes. "You know I would never ask you for that."

"Eventually I have to make a choice." She replied. "And I choose you."

He felt it in her emotions. He felt the purest form of endless love. She loved him above everyone, cared for his needs before her own and proved to him that her real loyalties were with him no matter how much it hurt her to turn against her own people. It made her selfish and cruel but she didn't care.

Lost in their conversation, they forgot that they were not alone. She wrapped her arms gently around her mate and embraced him. Damon hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. "I will always choose you too." He promised.

Their moment was ruined by Kai's snicker. "Tell me, Stefano! Do they always do this?"

"By 'this' if you mean rub their love in everyone's face then yes they always do that." Stefan replied in a bored tone.

Elena groaned and pulled back from her mate. "Must you always disturb us?" Damon glared at them.

"The Romeo and Juliet of Rippers." Kai snickered. "How is your practice going? Baby Vamp" he added. Elena had missed two training session because of some minor illness.

"What?" her mate growled. "What did you just call my mate?" he demanded.

"Baby Vamp?" Kai said with a shrug.

"No, you're not supposed to…" Stefan trailed off when he realized it was already too late.

"Baby, its okay" Elena held her mate's arm, smiling.

"No!" He returned his mate's smile but he was fuming. "It's not okay. Only I can call her that." He warned Kai subtly. Elena rolled her eyes. His jealousy and protectiveness could be so pointless sometime.

"Isn't that her name?" Kai said pretending to be shocked. He was about to reply but Elena held him back mouthing 'please'.

"Let's dance!" Elena said to Damon, changing the topic.

Before he had a chance to reply a few werewolves came and started talking to him. And before Elena knew it their discussion had turned to political topics. She excused herself from them and went to talk to some of the Ripper vampires.

A few minutes later when she turned back to see where her mate was, she found him talking to a female vampire Jules. That woman had hots for her fiancé ever since Elena could remember. It wasn't just Jules, her fiancé attracted a lot of female population. Her pregnancy brain made it look like he was flirting back with her too.

She didn't know what happened. She wasn't usually the jealous type. It must have been her pregnancy brain. "What's wrong?" Stefan startled her.

"You scared me." She said, furious. "Didn't anyone teach you not to sneak up on lady?" she added.

"Okay…" Stefan said, taken aback by her reaction.

She had just managed to tame her heartbeat when another voice startled her. "Why are you going all Hulk on my brother?"

She span round glaring at him. "Don't talk to me."

"What?" He had no idea what he did. "What did I do?"

"Do you think just because I'm pregnant I'm stupid too? Now I know why it takes you ages to come back from training." She hissed.

"You have lost me. I have no idea what you're talking about." He replied.

"It's her. Isn't it?" she pointed at the vampire he had been talking to a minute ago. "You have been shagging her behind my back. I'm not attractive anymore. Obviously I don't interest you."

"but I…"

"And I know you were planning another hook up in the barn. I may not have my vampire hearing but you forgot that I could lip read." She added.

"You caught me!" he replied, his hand rose in form of surrender. "That's exactly what I was doing when I told her to go back to Boarding house and bring your medicines that you forgot to take again."

By now, Stefan had completely given up. His brother and his future sister in law almost fought every second of the day albeit none of their fights were serious. He realized that he couldn't always help them solve their issues. He left the arguing couple alone so they could sort out their problems.

Elena immediately felt guilty. How could she doubt her mate's sincerity? How much more of her craziness can he take? She thought.

Before he knew it, her eyes pooled with tears and trickled down. "I'm such a horrible person. I always think badly about people. What's wrong with me?"

"Oh no! No, baby." He made her sit on a low chair, which had been placed in the center of a circular area then he ordered one of the staff to bring her a glass of water. "These are just your prego hormones." He told her over and over again.

"How can you stand me?" she asked after he pulled a chair for himself and sat next to her.

"I love it" he said truthfully. "I never thought I would ever get to experience these moments. So what if you're a little moody?"

"Excuse me" Hayley, Tyler's girlfriend interrupted them.

"For the love of God…" Damon muttered.

"Hi Hayley!" Elena greeted her.

"Some of the girls wanted to meet the Ripper Queen. Would you mind if I steal your mate for a few minutes?"

"Yes, I would" he shot back.

"Damon!" Elena warned. "Of course not!" she said as she got up.

"I will be back in a few minutes." She said as she pecked his cheek quickly and jumped to her feet. "Stay away from you know who" she warned.

"Voldemort?" he asked, smirking.

All humor from his face disappeared when she gave him a murderous glare before she walked away with Hayley. He watched her as Hayley introduced his mate to a few females from werewolf clan. They weren't too open to her but Elena was trying to mix with them. She had really accepted his family as his. He really respected her for that. He wished he could do the same for her but sadly that wasn't possible.

He had to keep her away from Originals. They wanted to use her and their baby girl's supernatural powers for their personal gains. He had to keep her way from Originals because she was still under Klaus's sire bond and he could take advantage of that.

 **Flashback**

 _"but Kai said that only way to break the sire bond is to kill Klaus" Damon said, puzzled._

 _"I think he is hiding something" Alaric said. He knew Kai more than anyone. He was very malicious and scheming. "He knows a way but he is not telling us."_

 _"We can easily get it out of him." Damon said as he clenched his fists._

 _"Violence is not the way, Damon." Alaric said as he shook his head. "We will keep him around for a while. But we will keep a strict eye on him. There a scheme in his mind and I want to know that."_

 _"but what about the sire bond?" Damon asked. He just wanted to break it. He hated how easily Klaus could take advantage of Elena._

 _"I will look into his personal things. There is got to be an answer."_

 **Over**

While they were all here Alaric was going through Kai's personal library. He was sure Alaric would find a way. His friend had never yet failed him. He got distracted when his eyes fell on his beautiful mate again.

The light of the candles fell on his mate's skin and made her more alluring than she was. Her heart shape face with its satin skin, long arching brows and those deep set eyes. Her beautiful eyes had charmed his heart the first time he saw them in his dreams. He had an obsession with her eyes.

When a new song started , he stood up and walked toward her, staring into the eyes of the woman he loved so dearly. She smiled at him as if she knew what was on his mind. "May I have this dance please?"

"I would love to but I don't think my fiancé would appreciate that." She replied playfully.

"I will deal with him later." He said, slipping his arm around her waist he led her to the dance floor.

Despite Elena's weight he moved her slowly and gracefully around the dance floor—so gracefully that she began to feel light on her feet. They danced slowly, their feet moving together effortlessly, Elena took a deep breath enjoying the fragrance of his cologne. He smirked when he caught her staring at his lips.

"Are you adverse to floor sex?" he broke the comfortable silence.

"What?" she asked, bewildered by his question.

He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "The Lockwood cellars are empty today."

"So?" she played along as she circled her arms around his neck, he pulled her closer, enclosing her in his strong arms.

"I can't wait anymore." He replied with a visible pout. "Need to make love to you," he whispered against her lips.

"I would love to-" Elena replied with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "but we are in the middle of the event and it wouldn't be right to sneak out."

"Your loss." He replied with shrug. Elena knew he wasn't going to give up. When he wanted something he wouldn't stop until he had it. And she wasn't wrong. Throughout the rest of the event he kept whispering in her ear.

"You know I would rather do right now." He said in her ear once they were all seated for dinner.

Her breathe hitched at the need in his voice.

"I would take you to the basement in cellar." He added. "Chain you."

"You're making me wet." She whispered back as her eyes lowered on her plate.

"Rip your clothes off."

"Then what?"

"Then I will rub myself all over your writhing body until you're begging me to take you." He whispered huskily and she almost choked on the food she was nibbling at.

"Is something wrong? Elena" Hayley, their hostess asked from a distance. All attention on the table diverted to them. "No, It's…"

"You shouldn't eat so fast, Honey" her mate said as he handed her a glass of water.

"So!" he started again when he was sure everyone was back to their conversations. "Where were we?"

"As I was saying I would tease you until you're begging me to take you than I'm going to kiss and lick every inch of your skin."

She swallowed hard, his tone as much as his words affecting her. He could always manage to seduce her. She wanted him to touch and caress her. She wanted it all, she wanted it now.

"Then I would lick your pu—"

"Let's go" she finally surrendered. He mentally cheered at victory.

Together they sneaked out of party to the woods. "What would your fiancé do if he finds out about this?" he asked, smirking as they entered the Lockwood cellar. "He would probably murder you." She replied as he guided her to a room in basement. It wasn't very clean but they didn't care at the moment. "It's worth it." he replied as he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, kissing the point where her shoulder and neck met.

As their slightly parted lips met in a deep kiss, they sank to the floor locked in each other's arms.

* * *

Tonight was the night. Tonight was the night Originals would attack Rippers because tonight was the night they would be the weakest. It wasn't like he didn't know that witches held no power on lunar eclipse but he never attacked because he thought werewolves and vampires would be guarding the town. It was new information for him that werewolves were useless too.

With Rudy's information he also knew the exact location of white oak stakes and all the secret pathways. He wasn't underestimating his rivals. It would be next to impossible to reach there but he had very carefully made a plan. He was aware he would lose a lot of his friends tonight but these minor sacrifices had to be made for the greater good.

"Kol, you will lead your vampires and attack them from the front. Kill as much as Rippers as you can tonight. Have fun but be careful" he ordered. "You're all supposed to protect my brother. I wouldn't tolerate a scratch on him. You will kill for him and you will die for him." He ordered.

"Marcel, you would lead Hummel's vampires and attack from the forest. That's where all their werewolves would be hiding. I want all of them dead."

"Will they be in their human form?" Marcel asked, hesitantly. His mate Rebekah's arm was hooked around his. They didn't want to participate in Klaus's schemes but they couldn't deny him. Rebekah tried to convince Klaus to just let Elena be but Klaus had been furious. Elena was the honor of their clan. They had to retrieve their honor. They had to do this or otherwise they wouldn't be respected in vampire socialite. Clans would not obey them. It was important to show everyone that they were powerful or else some other clan would attack them and destroy their family.

"Rebekah, you'll go to Lockwood Cellar and burn it down. All the remaining stakes are stored there." Klaus ordered. Rebekah instantly felt the force of the order. Even if she didn't want to do it she had no choice. None of them had.

They were close to find the cure to break the sire bond. Davina's witch friend had told them that the reason they were sired to Klaus was because he had turned them with his blood. Klaus's blood was magical. He had been turned by a witch. So to break the bond they needed magic. Kol told her to explain further but she told them this was all she knew. But for Rebekah that was enough. It just showed they had a hope. But until they find out a way they had to do as Klaus told them to.

"Isobel and our best vampires would protect you" he added with concern. He had instructed all their fighter vampires to do everything to keep his siblings safe. Power was meaningless if he couldn't share it with his family. After all he was doing this for his family, for their honor. He had a lot of enemies and he needed power to make sure they don't harm him and his clan.

"Lady Pearl's vampires were would take down the witches. They have an old feud with Bennetts." Klaus said as he stood in front of the tall vampire who had been sent by Lady Pearl. She hated witches just as much as he did. They had wronged her ages ago and she wanted revenge ever since. Hummel and Pearl were helping Klaus so they could kill the rest of council members and rule the vampire council alone. Klaus had promised them power in return for their alliance along with revenge.

"What about me?" Caroline asked.

"You will… you will stay here and guard the town." He replied, smiling.

"I know what you're doing, Nick" she said, frowning. "I am strong and I can help."

Klaus rolled his eyes. His mate was a young vampire. Rippers could easily rip her open. He was selfish when it came to his mate. "Love, I have already made my decision. Please don't waste my time. You're going to stay at home until I'm back." He ordered. "I'm not going to change my mind so don't bother." He added before Caroline could protest.

She huffed but then nodded.

"Father is staying in town?" Kol asked.

"Of course" Klaus said. "Someone needs to stay back and make sure everything is in order here. He will be ready if we need back up force."

"and what about you?" Elijah asked.

"I'll be the one who would bring Elena back."

* * *

Damon had been worried about this night for a month. It was the night all the security of their town depended on vampires. He split his vampires into three groups. One was supposed to guard the border while the other two were supposed to guard the witches and werewolves. Today they were vulnerable and it was his duty to protect them as their chief.

Lord Silas and Lord Augustine had also sent him older vampires. He still had a nagging feeling in the back of his head that something was wrong. It had been a while to the last time Originals had attacked them. They had been quiet which was not good. Quiet was never good. It was warning that he had to keep his guard up.

Tonight he was also on border duty. This were Enzo's duty but tonight he and Alaric had decided to join them. The more the vampires the better it was. He was hesitant in leaving his mate alone. She was in entering her thirty fifth week and Dr. Lucy had instructed them to be extra careful now. ("Great" Elena said with dismay. "Now I wouldn't even be allowed to move by myself.")

He didn't want to go. He wanted to stay with her and make sure his mate is safe but Elena practically kicked him out of the house telling him that it was his duty to stand by his clan. _"They are your family they are more important."_ She told him even though he had told her countless times that she meant more to him than them. " _I will be fine. I've Stefan here to keep me safe."_ She told him and Stefan immediately agreed. Stefan had grown fond of her even though he had admitted that mostly it was because of the child.

He was brought out from his thoughts when Alaric called him. They were all much tensed. They just wanted this night to be over with. Originals had never attacked them before on Lunar eclipse even though Damon knew Klaus was aware that this was the night when their witches were of no use. He wasn't sure if Klaus knew that werewolves couldn't turn tonight either. Maybe that's what always stopped Klaus from attacking them all these years.

"Don't worry!" Alaric assured. "They haven't attacked before and they wouldn't attack now."

"I just have a bad feeling." Damon said, shaking his head.

"Where is Kai?" Enzo asked. Enzo despised Kai a lot. Kai had been trying to flirt with his mate a lot and Enzo didn't like that. (No one would)

"With the rest of the witches" Damon answered and Enzo groaned. "He was much paranoid tonight. He was about to flee. Ric and I had to beg him to stay." He added. If it wasn't about his mate he would have never let that scheming witch inside his territory.

"What's that?" Alaric stiffened.

They were now on full alert ready to attack. They were silent for a time and all seemed to be quiet and calm till a stake raced to Damon and missed his heart by an inch. He fell on the wet muddy ground. Alaric and Enzo surrounded him. Their guns pointed towards the bush which surrounded the trees. Not a sound came from them. But they knew someone was hiding behind it.

"You okay?" Alaric said, his eyes still on the bush. He knew they were being watched. Damon's ear picked up the very light rustle behind the bushes. Forcing his body to react, despite the pain swirling in him, he fired his gun repeatedly. A painful scream pierced their ears. The vervain soaked wooden bullets worked their magic and revealed the hiding spot of the Original vampire.

It was as if everything happened in the blink of eye. Suddenly Kol emerged out of the forest along with his vampires. Their veins pulsated and their teeth emerged out of their gums as soon they saw their enemies.

Damon already knew this would happen. His sixth sense had warned him. He was prepared. Raising their guns, crossbows and stakes the Rippers launched on Originals.

* * *

Klaus had all of them busy. He had helped Rebekah and her vampire troops to reach the Lockwood cellars. He knew all the secret pathways,courtesy of Rudy.

It had been difficult. Ripper vampires were very well trained. They also had some older vampires among them. But he was relaxed because Rebekah was stronger and older. Once he was sure she would be successful in her mission he left her and went toward the Ripper chief's house.

Some young vampires tried to stop him on the way. Once they realized who he was they would shiver with fear. He was impressed how they still tried to fight back even though they knew it was all in vain.

Now, standing at the bottom of the walkway looking at the huge mansion he found himself growing rather excited.

"He is here!" he heard a female vampire scream. Before she could cause more inconvenience he ripped her heart out and crushed it in his fist. He heard a vampire behind him growl. There was madness in his eyes. Klaus immediately knew it was the deceased vampire's mate. "I know you will be miserable without your mate." Klaus said as he stepped toward him. "Let me ease your pain." He said with a smirk and vamp sped to the vampire. With much ease Klaus ripped his head off.

"Stay back" He heard a growl.

He turned around and found himself facing Stefan Salvatore AKA the ripper he most despised second to Damon. "I have been waiting for this day, Ripper..." Klaus said as he walked up the stairs and came to the landing. "-when I would rip your heart out and bash my knuckles into your brother's skull. Both of you had been much inconvenience."

"I have also been waiting for the day to rip your flesh screaming from your bones and garland your body with your bowels." Stefan retorted as he raised his white oak stake.

"Klaus Michelson is nothing if not giving" He smirked. "Do your worst!" he said as he opened his arms, challenging him.

"Let's dance" Stefan replied. "Attack" he shouted at his vampires.

They launched at him all at once. With one swift of hand Klaus ripped one of the vampire's head off. He was indestructible. He reminded himself as he fought them. Stefan thrust a stake in his back and he shouted in pain and fell on his knees. Now he was furious. He wanted to give them easy deaths but this move right there sealed their fate. He reached out a hand behind his back and pulled it out. He came at them all with the lace of a madman.

A vampire attempted to lunge at his feet. He immediately picked it up by his hair and snapped its neck. He ripped of the head of another vampire. Soon all of their bodies fell, scattered around the walkway to mansion. Only Stefan Salvatore was left.

Stefan tried to flash away but Klaus zoomed in front of him with mad rage in his eyes.

"Stop!" he heard his child sister's voice. He eyed her warily as she came out of the house, but instead of yelling at him, she kneeled down. "Please stop!"

"Elena, what are you doing? Get back inside the house." Stefan hissed.

"Please don't hurt him." Elena choked. "He is all Damon have, please."

"I wouldn't be worried about Damon, Honey." Klaus spat. "I'm sure they are plenty of other Rippers that could keep him company in hell."

"What are you saying? What did you do to him?" she screamed.

"Elena, go inside the house." Stefan said, struggling to free himself from Klaus's iron grip on his throat.

"Just pray that he survives Kol's attack." Klaus smirked. "You're well aware of Kol's fighting techniques."

"No!" she gasped.

"We will not rest until we turn each and every Ripper into ashes. Specifically your mate."

"Why are you doing this?" she shouted, hardly hiding her disdain.

"Isn't that obvious?" Klaus looked at her.

Stefan tried to bite Klaus's hand but Klaus threw him against the wall before he could attack. "Filthy Rippers" Klaus said wearily. Stefan tried to escape but Klaus was in front of him in a blink of an eye. He was about to reach for Stefan's heart when Elena shouted. "I'll go back with you"

Klaus stopped, smirking. "Just order your vampires to retreat. Please stop hurting my family." She begged.

"Elena, we are your family" Klaus shouted in red anger.

"Please, Klaus"

"Nick" Klaus corrected. "Okay, I will do it for you. I'll let these filthy Rippers live for now." He said as he smirked to Stefan. "I will never let you take Elena." Stefan choked. Klaus glared at him and focused on his eyes. "You'll not remember this conversation. You saw Elena leave with me willingly. You'll tell your brother that it was Elena who let me in. You'll tell your brother that it was Elena who told me the secret pathway to your town and it was Elena who betrayed you."

"Wh…what are you doing?" Elena gasped.

"Burning bridges" Klaus said as he snapped Stefan's neck.

He flashed in front of his sister. She stumbled back, afraid of him for the first time. "I will never forgive you for this." She said, teary eyed. She felt dizzy and weak. She couldn't take it anymore. She felt darkness clouding her eyes.

"Honey!" Klaus said, worried.

Before he knew it she fell limp in his arms.

* * *

Klaus sent a messenger to his troops and ordered them to retreat before the lunar eclipse finished. He had brutally thrashed them and he knew he had to face the consequences but by now he didn't care. Soon the Rippers will alert the council and will come for him but he had the power of Petrova and a ripper warlock.

That night he had fed Rudy his blood and revived him. He made sure Rudy was weak and at his mercy. They had used him for information. They had used a Ripper against their own clan.

Caroline gasped when she saw Elena in Klaus's arms on their doorstep. It wasn't a surprise, Klaus had told her a week ago that he was bringing Elena back and whatever Klaus wanted he got.

They took her to a spare bedroom. "You'll stay with her. I have to go check if everyone else is okay?" he ordered Caroline and left.

* * *

A lot of Rippers lost their lives tonight. Thankfully the vampires managed to save both werewolves and witch clans even though they lost their lives for it. As soon as the lunar eclipse ended werewolves turned and chased the Originals out of their territory. Witches chanted spells to protect their town.

It was a scene of disaster when Damon rushed home. His best vampires were dead. Their heads and hearts were scattered on the floor.

"Elena!" he shouted for his mate. "Stefan!" The dead silence scared him. It scared them so much that the hair stood up on their arms, as if being drawn outward by electricity.

He noticed a ring on the floor. His eyes narrowed. He picked it up and recognized it immediately. It was the ring he had proposed Elena with. He was restless now. He had to see her. She was alive he knew because the connection of the blood bond between them was still there but he couldn't reach her thoughts. He couldn't whisper to her. It made him anxious.

A loud cough startled him. He turned around, ready to attack but found no one behind him.

"Damon…" It was his brother's voice. He immediately zoomed to the corner where his voice was coming from. "Stef… Oh God" he felt a sense of partial relief.

"Damon…" Stefan choked, still recovering from near death experience. "El..Elena…she…"

"She what?" he inquired. "Stefan, where is my mate?"

* * *

Rebekah was on rampage. Ripper vampires have killed her mate. It was an unbearable pain. She wanted revenge. She wanted to kill herself. "You greedy bastard" she screamed at Klaus. "This is all your fault." She added.

Klaus felt immensely guilty. This was not supposed to happen. Unintentionally he had harmed his own sister. "Bex!"

"Don't touch me!" she shouted. "I hate you" she added. "Let me go! I don't want to live either. This pain is unbearable. Let me go!" she struggled from Kol and Isobel's firm grip.

"Nicklaus" Mikael signaled him. Klaus knew what that meant. He knew a way Rebekah's pain could be eased. In no way he would allow her to kill herself. "Turn it off, Rebekah" he ordered. And as if a flick of switch all the pain disappeared. She felt empty. She felt dead.

"What? No" Kol interrupted.

"There is no other way." Klaus hissed.

Rebekah immediately calmed down. Her heart wrenching sobbing stopped and now she was just staring at her hands in her lap. "You'll not harm yourself in any way you hear me?" Klaus ordered.

She nodded as if on auto pilot mode. There were no emotions in her eyes. She was completely blank. It broke his heart to see her like that.

"Is Honey back too?" Isobel asked. Kol immediately looked at Klaus, waiting for an answer.

"Yes but you can't meet her until tomorrow." Klaus said. "I have to go now. Who is going to stay with her?" he asked, concerned about Rebekah's state.

"I will" Kol answered, not looking him in the eye.

"Kol!"

"Just go!Nick" Kol said with disdain.

He dropped a kiss upon the top of Rebekah's head. "I'll bring Elena for you tomorrow" he promised her. Maybe Elena would cheer her up. "Call me if there is a problem." He instructed Isobel before he left.

* * *

He had just been finished with one of his sister's rage when Caroline called him and told him to come immediately as Elena was in a hysterical phase and wanted to go back to her mate. "Bloody hell!" he muttered as he called Elijah.

"He will come for me, Nick." she shouted at him. "You've compelled Stefan to make him turn against me but he knows me Klaus, he knows you're behind this. He knows I'll never betray him."

He walked to her, she tried to drag her body away from him but Rita, Caroline's guard vampire held her in place.

"A few months in that trash clan and you forgot your manners, talking back to your brother?"

She spat, "You're not my brother, you're a fucking bastard!"

Klaus rolled his eyes, gesturing Caroline to leave. Caroline looked reluctant. She could sense Klaus's anger and she didn't want Elena to face it. "Rita! Can you please take my Queen out of here? " he ordered the girl. "I want to talk to my sister alone." Rita obliged and Caroline had no choice to go.

"She slapped him hard across the face in an indignant manner before she hissed "You're a monster. "

How dare she? This was what he got for raising her and taking care of her. And right now too he was looking for her better future. He had enough of her attitude. He gestured for his partner in crime to hold her.

"Let me go! Don't touch me. I am the Ripper queen. Get your hands of me." She struggled to get free of Elijah's grip. "You attacked us on the night you knew we couldn't fight back, you coward. I dare you to attack now."

Klaus turned to her "I'll destroy them and you'll help me."

"I will do no such thing!" she growled. "Damon is my mate and my loyalties are to him."

"Your loyalties are bound to your mate because you're in love with him." Klaus cocked his head to the side. "but if you don't have your memories your loyalties would change."

She looked at him with widen eyes as if she knew what was about to happen, she tried to shake herself free but Elijah held her still "Let me go ! No Nic you won't do this, please. Damon will-"

He shouted "QUIET! If I heard the name Damon one more time you'd see the worst of me."

"OH THERE IS MORE?" she shouted back. Klaus got ahead and held her chin focusing her on her eyes.

She closed her eyes, squeezed shut. She knew what he was going to do. She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting off the sobs threatening to engulf her.

Elijah hesitantly said "Will it work? What if her magic repels the compulsion?"

She heard Klaus snicker "Rudy told us her magic is not strong enough to stand my compulsion. If I focus I'll be able to get through her. " he replied. "Honey! Open your eyes." He commanded.

He pressed harder on her chin ,she shrieked "I won't. I'll never let you erase him "

Klaus smirked "So you won't let me win?"

She screamed "NO!" He gave a humorless laugh "It means that you're not much of value then, which means you don't have to carry all this extra weight around."

He knew this would work, He loved her, but his greed for win, his insanity for power conquered his love for her.

She said shaking now, He smirked, it was working. "I'll have them take the child from you. You'll never see it again."

She opened her tear filed red eyes, staring up at him with disgust. Silent tears rolled down her cheek.

He chuckled "That's like a good girl"

He cupped her face with his strong, rough hands making it impossible for her to turn away from him. He focused on her eyes and whispered "You never met Damon Salvatore, you know he is a monster, he hates your brother and the family you love, you met Elijah Smith half an year back, you're both in love, he is your mate and the father to your child. From now on you'll do exactly as I say. Am I clear?"

There he did something he swore he would never to do his siblings. He compelled her. Guilt rose like bile in his chest.

She nodded, as she blinked and tears ran down her eyes. She repeated his statement in a trance like state. All the memories of her mate slipping away. She wanted to hold on to them but she was helpless.

He asked "Who's Damon Salvatore, Elena?"

She swallowed "He is the chief of Rippers. He hates us all and has been an inconvenience for our family, he is you're enemy, Nick. He is my enemy. "

Klaus gestured Elijah to let her go and so he did, he got ahead and wrapped his arms around Elena. She hid her face in Klaus's chest. He smirked, knowing that finally he had won from Rippers.

* * *

 **Next Chapter**

She knew she had seen those eyes before. She touched his face as if he was a dream. "You're here." she murmured.

"Of course, I am" Damon replied surprised at her behavior.

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** This chapter was planned from start. The angst is necessary before the turn of events. Let's see how they overcome these hurdles? Will Elena be able to break the compulsion? How will Damon get his mate back?

2 more chapters left. Do give me your views on the chapter. I love to hear from you. Did you expect this from Klaus?

 **Also I've started a new story. It's called 'The Scandal'**

 **Summary:**

Everyone thought it was a fairy tale when Corporate Business Tycoon 'Damon Salvatore' married his mother's nurse Elena. Even though they are both polar opposites, somehow she crawled under his skin and set up a home inside his heart. But someone isn't happy with their union. They frame Elena of cheating Damon, her husband, thus creating the biggest scandal of the year. Will Damon ever find out his wife is innocent? Will they fight against all odds and end up together or will they fall apart forever?

Do read and give me your opinion on that too.

 **Lastly,** **Don't forget to review! I will be waiting. Now I'm off to read Carol's new story. Have a nice weekend!  
**


	32. All the roads you took came back to me

**Chapter 31**

* * *

Elena was heavily guarded as if there was someone out there waiting for a chance to take her away from them. She insisted she wanted to go out but Klaus and her 'mate' forbade her. "It's not safe, Honey." Klaus told her very affectionately. There was something different in the way he treated her. It almost seemed 'fake'.

She would see Caroline frowning and upset all the time even though she claimed she was fine. There was some sort of tension between Klaus and Caroline. Elena asked Caroline about it but Caroline turned the topic to the baby and Elena completely forgot to talk to her about it.

Elijah, her mate, was a bit different than he was before. He was less affectionate. He didn't hold her like…like she remembered he did. Something was wrong. She found herself confused all the time. She didn't know what she want. One minute she would want to be wrapped in her mate's arms but as soon as Elijah did what she wanted, she would feel disgusted by his touch. One minute she would yearn for her mate's kisses but as soon as his lips touched hers, she felt appalled and revolted. She would push him away and demand he leave her alone. He didn't even call her by her nick name. What was it though? Baby... Baby Vampire? Elijah claimed he never had called her that. Even his fragrance was different. It wasn't familiar love and comfort. His scent was different. He just didn't feel like home.

She was going crazy. Just yesterday, she was watching a movie with Caroline when she found out her engagement was missing from her finger! She started to panic. "Where is my ring?" She said, worried.

"What ring?" Caroline asked, carelessly. Her eyes were still glued to the TV screen.

"My engagement ring…" she said as she rose and started to look around. "It's Damon's mother. I can't lose it. It's very important to him." She said in frenzy as she looked under the sofa.

Caroline's eyes shot up. Was the compulsion broken?

"What?"

Elena looked up as if confused for a minute. What did she just say? She didn't remember what she said.

"It's…I don't remember what I said." She said, frowning.

"You were looking for this?" Elijah's voice startled her. He was standing behind her, holding a ring in front of her. It was a beautiful gold band. It seemed so unfamiliar.

She forced a smile and nodded. He took her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. "It looks beautiful. Doesn't it?"

She tried to smile, but sadness overcame the attempt and she simply shook her head. It was strange. The ring didn't feel right. She felt a strange kind of despair as if she couldn't breathe. She would hear whispers. Strange whispers of someone who was trying to reach her. At times she would feel as if a mist of fog is surrounding her, protecting her from the world. It was a strange sensation. She felt incomplete but she didn't know who she was looking for.

"We would be arranging a grand wedding soon." Her brother's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned around and found him, standing near the pillar at the end of the living room.

"My brilliant and beautiful wife will plan it." he said as he walked toward them. "This wedding would be more elegant and ostentatious than any other. We would call all our allied clans too. This would be the event of the century."

Caroline frowned, looking at him.

"Indeed." Elijah added.

"Have you two decided a date yet?" he asked, ignoring Caroline's glares.

"Most probably a month or two after we welcome our child." He replied as his hand sneaked around Elena's waist.

"What's the hurry?" Caroline said.

"They are in love, they want to get married and as Elena's favorite brother I am supporting them." He shot back.

"We all do." Isobel said as she came out of the kitchen with her daughter's lunch. They were all being very positive about her pregnancy and her union with Elijah even Mikael. Something she didn't remember had happened before. It seemed all so new even though her mind told her that this had always been a reality.

Elena forced out another smile. "Will Bex and Kol come today?" she asked.

An awkward silence filled the room. Not once did Rebekah and Kol visit her in the last one week. Klaus told her Rebekah had lost her mate in an accident. Kol and Davina had taken her out of the town for a few days.

"Not so soon, Honey." Isobel answered. "Rebekah hasn't recovered yet."

While her family continued discussing the 'grand wedding' they were going to plan for her, she couldn't help but feel depressed at the thought. Being with Elijah in all ways should excite her. She was having a child with him. They were going to have a family. Her parents, her siblings and her clan were supporting her than why did she still felt as if this was wrong.

* * *

"You're using her." Caroline hissed at her husband. "Aren't you even a little ashamed of yourself?" added.

Klaus was going through a book of spells that Mikael had instructed him to find.

"I'm doing everything for my family." He said, ignoring her. "and look at her. She seems happy." He added as he gestured at the window. Caroline turned around and found her best friend, sitting on the swing in the garden with her mate.

"That's because she doesn't know what she is doing. You made her forget him. You're manipulating her mind into thinking that Elijah is her mate." Caroline shot back. "You replaced her real mate with Elijah in her memories. You're confusing her. You're forcing her into relationship she never wanted from the start."

"Love, I would stop if I were you."

"Nick, you're forcing her. You do know what that makes you right? A rapist" she hissed.

"Caroline, I love you but if you don't go now I might hurt you." He growled.

For a second, Caroline looked shocked. She didn't believe he just said that. He was threatening to physically hurt her. Her eyes pooled with tears that seeped out of the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks.

For a second, Klaus was in shock. Did he just say that? He threatened his own mate. He felt disgusted with himself. "I'm sorry." He blurted out as he stepped toward her.

"Don't" she said, holding her hand in front of him. "You do a lot of crazy shit and I tolerate that but you crossed the 'line' today." She said, wiping her tears.

"Love, I am sorry. I didn't mean to say that." He said as he ignored her protests and walked closer to her. "I'm sorry." He repeated over and over again as he took her in his arms.

"No, I'm done." She said angrily, still fighting to free herself from his arms.

"I really mean it." he said as he pulled her closer, begging for her forgiveness. "You know I can't live without you. I love you. I'm sorry." He begged.

She stopped struggling at his words. As much as she despised him at this moment, she loved him. She could feel his desperation for her forgiveness. He was genuinely sorry. Reluctantly, she wrapped her arms around him too.

* * *

It had been a week since he had last seen his mate. He had just gotten home after chasing Originals away from their town, when he found his house nearly wrecked and his brother half dead.

 **1 week ago**

" _He has Elena." Stefan choked. "I tried to stop him, I really did." He insisted. He couldn't believe he failed his brother again. He couldn't face the disappointment in his eyes. He had faced it once when he almost killed his brother ages ago for Katherine._

" _Klaus took her?" he breathed._

" _He tried to compel me. He wanted me to tell you that it was Elena who let him in our town." Stefan explained. He told his brother how Klaus attacked him and their friends and how he was almost killed if it wasn't for Elena giving up herself for him._

" _He wanted me to forget all that." Stefan said. "but he didn't know that ever since I dated his sister there isn't a day when I'm not on vervain."_

" _I'm sorry, Damon." Stefan apologized. "I tried my best to save her."_

 _He didn't reply as he sat down on the ground with his back against the rock wall. What was he going to do now?_

 _ **over**  
_

After the initial shock wore off, without wasting much time he gathered a few white oak tree stakes and a gun filled with vervain soaked bullets to attack Originals himself. He felt red rage boil inside him. He had to get her back. Stefan and Enzo tried to stop him.

They told him they weren't ready to attack. Their werewolves were injured, their witches were drained off power from chasing them away tonight. They had already lost a lot of their friends and they needed more equipment, more vampires and more training to even think about launching an attack. Klaus's vampires had truly wrecked them in every way. They needed time.

But Damon wasn't having any of that. He told them that if they he doesn't need them. He could attack them alone. He would get his mate back at any cost.

It was his primal instinct. He had to save his mate at any cost. He didn't care about his safety. He wanted his mate. Logic didn't made sense to him when the love of his life was in danger.

Seeing as he wasn't going to stop, Alaric had no option but to order Stefan and Enzo to vervain him and lock him in the cellars. It took a lot of struggle but they managed to complied Alaric's orders and locked their chief in the cellar in basement. When he woke up, he had struggled to free himself from the vervain soaked ropes and chains.

When that didn't work he ordered the guards to release him but they informed him that Alaric and Stefan had forbid them. With no option left, he cursed and threatened everyone in an earshot. "Stefan! Stefan, you son of a bitch, release me now or so help me God I will rip you limb from limb and then rip your heart out and eat it while you watch."

When they released him on the third day of week, he was ready to beat them all to death but Alaric informed him they were ready to attack. He had summoned help from his old friends and they had a chance of fighting against the Originals, once and for all.

On that night, they attacked Originals. They easily defeated the guards Originals and entered the boundary of Original Mystic Falls. Within seconds, Original troops reached to fight them off. Rippers wanted to avenge their loved ones they lost. Like their name, they ripped open a lot of Originals.

Things got intense when Mikael joined them too. Mikael was the king, he never joined a battle unless completely necessary. He was the strongest of them all, his strength surpassed Klaus.

It was nearly the time of dawn. Damon realized his witches were drained and his werewolves would be turning back any minute. It was stupid to continue fighting century old vampires when they were not in the position of fighting. Reluctantly he made the quick decision to retreat.

He launched an attack again on the next night with his clan but again Mikael, Klaus and Kol would show up along with their troops and by the time of dawn, his clan would be too weak to continue.

This went on for four days.

By now Originals were always ready to attack. Damon's clan had staked countless Originals but Klaus had built himself a big and strong army throughout the centuries. They had countless strong vampires left.

They retreated the fourth night again. This was getting nowhere. At times, Damon felt hopeless, lifeless and cold. Would he even get to see her again? Was she missing him just like he did?

He whispered to her at night. But she never responded. It was like she was unaware of his existence. He didn't know why it frightened him. Sometimes when he felt she was feeling threatened; he would try to protect her by conjuring mist around her. It wasn't something he was perfect at but he had learnt it in the last few days by watching Elena practice magic with Kai. It was rare ability in a vampire.

He was on the roof of his house. Mystic Falls looked sullen and subdued without Elena in it. Dark clouds filled the once beautiful sky. Something about tonight reminded him of 'that' night.

" _Promise me this is forever?" she asked, her eyes beaming with happiness._

 _At that time, he had been confused. What type of question was that? He replied anyway. "I promise."_

 _He remembered exactly how her eyes light up, her cheeks turned reddish pink and how her eyes dropped as a shy smile spread across her face._

He was brought back to reality when Elena's emotions changed from peace to restlessness. She was feeling afraid and threatened.

"I'm here." He spoke as if she could hear him even though he knew she couldn't. This was for his own peace of mind. "You're okay."

He conjured mist again around her. He felt her relax. She wasn't aware of his presence yet she was reaching to him through their mating bond.

Why couldn't Klaus understand that he and Elena were bound to each other by blood bond. They were one soul split into two bodies. She was made for him. She had been his even when he didn't know. She had reached out to him through dreams before he even knew she existed. Centuries of family feud couldn't stop them for meeting before, how would it separate them now?

They were meant to be together. And no force, not time, not family—not even death could separate them.

* * *

She woke up in another cold sweat, a perfect dream turned into the horrid nightmare. She was dreaming about someone—a blue eyed stranger. She had been dreaming about him ever since she had started living in Klaus's house. He was so handsome, so impossibly handsome and…familiar.

Her dreams didn't seem like dreams. It was as if she had lived those moments. In her dream, she was standing with him on a beautiful rooftop. Her eyes were dancing from him to the drizzling sky and then back at his handsome face. They had been talking for hours. The way he touched her, the way he kissed her and the way he looked at her, it all seemed familiar. She grew more and more restless as she thought about the stranger from her dreams. He was around her. He was close. But who was he?

"Honey!" Elijah's voice startled her.

She had completely forgotten that he was staying with her tonight. He had taken the couch because apparently Caroline thought it was unhealthy for a pregnant woman to share her bed when her due date was drawing closer.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he drew closer.

Somehow Elena felt terrified of him. She didn't want him near her. Something about him scared her. It was as if he had hurt her before. And then she heard those whispers again.

"Honey?"

"I'm okay." She replied as she forced a smile. "Just a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, concerned.

She instantly felt guilty. She was dreaming and yearning for a stranger when her mate was right here.

"Not really." She said as she reached out for water.

"Do you want me to hold you?" he offered. "Maybe it will help chase those nightmares away." He added, smiling.

"No, it's fine." She replied. Why was she not allowing her own mate to touch her? What was wrong with her?

"I'll just sleep next to you." Elijah finally decided, not asking her permission anymore since he knew she would reject him again. She didn't say anything and shifted to a side so he could lie next to her.

"Goodnight." He said as he closed her eyes. She responded with a small smile and nodded. Something felt so strange about this. She didn't want him in her bed.

She rose up in haste and walked to the dimly lit balcony. She was feeling anxious again. Anxious and frightened. In her dream, she saw a woman was holding her while her brother was whispering something to her, telling her to forget someone she didn't want to forget.

 _It's just a silly dream._

Her eyes narrowed when she noticed a fog surround her again. Was it her imagination or this fog just suddenly appeared out of nowhere? The thin blanket of mist felt comforting though. It provided her with a sense of peace.

From her balcony, she could see a man and woman standing near a car, as if saying a good bye to each other. She recognized the man. It was the blue eyed stranger.

 _"I've been wanting to say this for weeks now. I know it's too soon. You just have to hear it. You don't even have to say it back. I just want us to be on same page because I…I want more now" He said to the brunette standing next to him._

 _"What is it?_ She recognized the woman standing next to him. It was her. But how was that possible. Was it a memory?

 _"Don't say anything just please listen and let me finish. I love you. I am in love with you. No…not just love….I'm madly, deeply, so far gone in love with you. I can't imagine my life without you in it. I want you to be with me and me to be with you. You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. You're all I want. For the rest of my life…" he said holding her hand._

She hid her face with her hand immediately. Was she going crazy? She just saw herself holding hands with the blue eyed stranger who was confessing his love to her. When she removed her hands from her face, there was no one standing there. The blue eyed stranger and her illusion self had disappeared.

She was about to call her Caroline and her brother when she felt the sudden leaking start from between her legs. She looked down in surprise. Maybe she just had an 'accident'. It was normal for pregnant woman. But it couldn't be that. The sudden realization hit her that her water had broken. She had been having a strange pain throughout the day maybe they were small contractions that she didn't recognize.

Tears pooled her eyes when she felt her first big contraction. It took her breath away and she fell to her knees. The next contraction hit her even harder and before she knew it she was screaming. Elijah was on her side an in instant. He looked at her wide eyed in horror. He had no idea what to do.

"Honey…"

"Elena…"

She heard Klaus and Caroline's voices as they rushed inside her room. Just than another contraction hit her.

"Her water broke." She heard Caroline shout in panic.

"Don't worry, Honey." Klaus held her. "We will get help. We are here, Love." He said as he held her firmly and helped her up. She grabbed his arm in an iron grip as he picked her up.

He instructed Caroline to drive while he helped her in the backseat while the whole time Elena's 'mate' Elijah stayed quiet as if any of this didn't affect him. They drove off and got to the hospital just in time to wheeled to the closest room. She didn't know why she kept repeating his name under breath. Damon. She had called him that in her dreams. She repeated his name like a prayer as if he was here he would lessen her pain.

Her mate didn't go to the labor room with her claiming he couldn't stand blood. At that time Caroline glared furiously at Klaus as if it was his fault her mate was so insensitive.

Despite being a young vampire, Caroline joined her inside. She held her hand throughout it all, whispering encouraging words to her while Klaus and Elijah stood outside.

Elena was drifting in and out of strange memories. Memories she couldn't recognize but memories she knew she had lived.

 **Flashback**

 _She was sitting between his legs, her back was against his chest as she searched the book for a beautiful name for her daughter. She rolled her eyes when he sneaked in his hands in her shirt. He lowered his head on to her neck, alternating a series of kisses and love bites on the line from her shoulder to her the crook of her neck while his hands fondled her breasts, rolling the hardened nipples between his fingers until her eyes grew unfocused in pleasure._

" _ **Damon!**_ _How am I supposed to look for our daughter's name if you keep doing that?" she breathed. She was enjoying this far too much. She wondered if she would ever get tired of his touch in this life time._

 _He chuckled in her neck, enjoying her vulnerable moans._

" _Stop distracting me." She said as he elbowed him playfully in the ribs. "Aren't you ever tired?"_

" _No!" he whispered in her ear. "I want you all the time. Okay? Whenever I see you I want to put my hands on you. I have to fight myself to not strip you down and put my lips on every inch of your body. I want to make love to you all the time and I'm not ashamed to admit that." He replied fast._

 _She let out a chuckle and kissed the bridge of his nose. "You can make love to me anytime you want. I'm all yours."_

" _Don't give me that kind of permission, **Baby Vamp**. I will take you out of your clothes before you know what hit you. So don't do that." _

_She let out a chuckle and laid her head against his shoulder._

" _Find anything you like?" he said as his hands lowered to her stomach. He loved the movements that occurred whenever he touched her. His daughter had a unique way of communicating with him. She recognized his voice and his touch. Elena said she moved and kicked the most when he was around. She was always excited by his presence._

" _Nothing much." She said making a face. "Stef says her middle name should be Scarlett. He says it's not an option it's a demand. It's his right as her uncle." Elena added with a chuckle._

" _He had been crushing on Scarlett O'Hara since the last century. He will never change." Damon said, shaking his head._

 _"How about Paris? It's so romantic." Elena said, looking at him._

" _Umm… Love, I know you think it's romantic but all it reminds me is Miss Hilton lying on her back in that… lovely tape. I don't feel very comfortable naming my daughter after her." He replied hesitantly._

 _Elena rolled her eyes at his reasoning. He would find fault in anything. He was very picky._

" _How about Sophie?"_

" _It reminds me of elderly lady who lived next door to us back in the 90s."_

" _How about Lisa?"_

" _Can you be a little more creative Baby Vamp? You're not even trying!" he replied, irritated._

" _You know what? You choose" she said as she shoved the book to him._

" _Abigail" he said after a few minutes of looking._

" _Abigail?" She said, narrowing her eyes._

" _In Hebrew it means a father's joy" he replied. She swore she could see excitement and sheer adoration shining in his eyes. "She is my joy, y'know. The day I found out about her... I think that was the happiest day of my life."_

" _We will call her Abby." Elena approved with a smile. Just then she felt a kick. "I think she likes it." Elena chuckled._

" _She does!" He replied in an awe. He unlocked his arms and lifted her up and placed her on a side. The next minute, he was lying on her, his head on top of her stomach. "Abby" he whispered. He felt movement underneath his fingers. "How's daddy's little girl? I bet you're as pretty as your mum. If that's the case then I'm locking you up, Rapunzel." He stopped when Elena glared at him. "I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Hang in there for us, Princess. We are going to spoil you rotten." He told her._

 ** _over_**

The loud cry of the child filled the room. Elena exhaled in relief and fell back, exhausted. "I want to see her." She said to Caroline. The nurse wrapped the baby in a blanket and held the pink faced infant up to Elena's face to see.

Her fingers trembled as she touched her child's face. Her daughter was beautiful. She had light brown soft curly hair. She had the most beautiful bright blue eyes and plump, rosy cheeks that looked like protruding tomatoes.

She recognized those eyes. They were exactly the same as the stranger's from her dreams.

"Abigail" she breathed before she passed out.

* * *

Klaus couldn't believe it. She was here. The one who would help him destroy everyone in his path to throne. He touched the child's face. It looked more like the Ripper than it looked like his sister. He felt a bit upset at that thought. But then he reminded himself that she was Elena's daughter too.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Caroline said, lovingly as she took the child from him. She had always loved children. She wanted her own too but she had to give up in order to be with the love of her life.

"Honey named her Abigail." She said.

"Hmm… Beautiful name." he replied, smiling. "Here El. Hold your daughter. Welcome Abigail Smith." He said as he took the child from Caroline and handed it to a reluctant Elijah.

"How is Honey?" Klaus asked his wife.

"Sleeping" Caroline replied, frowning. "The doctor says she needs a lot of rest."

"I'll go see her." Klaus said, worried.

"I'll come with you too." Elijah added as he handed the baby back to the nurse. It was clear that he only wanted Elena and the power that comes with her child but he didn't want anything to do with the child. He didn't feel any affection for the girl. Caroline frown grew deeper at that thought.

As soon as they rushed out of the ward, Caroline decided to finally do the right thing. She wouldn't let her husband and Elijah Smith abuse Elena and her daughter anymore. She took out her phone from her purse and called Elena's other brother.

"Hello Kol!"

* * *

Kol couldn't believe it. How could Klaus hide something like that from him? Elena had been pregnant. She had just given birth to a girl. How was that even possible? Is that why he was so obsessed with getting her back? Klaus always protected Elena a lot. He had ever barely let her out of his sight. Maybe he had an agenda all along. He was using Elena. Kol felt disgusted by that.

He and Rebekah made their way to the private room Elena was staying. He pushed the door open and entered. She was in bed, holding her baby close to her chest while Elijah was sitting next to her. His eyes narrowed. What was he doing here?

"Kol!" Elena smiled weakly up at him. "Bex!" she added in excitement.

Kol and Rebekah were both startled. They were not mentally prepared. Caroline had informed them just a few minutes ago. They didn't believe her. But now looking at their sister with her daughter, it all felt so surreal. Now they knew why Klaus had banned them from meeting Elena until he said so.

Klaus glared at them. Who told them? He already knew as his eyes shifted to his wife, standing by his side nervously.

"Hi Honey!" Kol said coming closer toward her. Rebekah was still standing by the door.

"I missed you" Elena said in a sad tone. "Where had you been?"

"I was busy." Kol said as he circled his arm around her. "and who is this little angel?"

"Meet my daughter—Abigail Smith." Elena said lovingly, caressing her daughter's face.

"Abigail Smith?" Kol's eyes narrowed. What was wrong with Elena? What about her mate? It took a minute to figure out that Klaus had compelled her memories away. Klaus had 'compromised' her. She thought Elijah was her mate. He felt his eyes burn. He picked up the newborn, dandled her in his arms and stroked her and kissed her.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Elena said teary eyed. "Bex won't you come in." she added.

"No." Rebekah said in a cold tone and flashed away.

"Wha.." she looked up confused.

"She had shut her emotions off ever since Marcel's death. She will come around." Klaus reasoned.

"Nick, Can I talk to you outside?" Kol said a bit harshly but formally. "You too Elijah" he added as he handed the child back to her mother. "She is very beautiful, Hon. Take Care of her. I'll be right back."

* * *

"The Original girl Rebekah tried to force her way in, Chief." The vampire guard informed him. "She says she means no harm and she wants to talk to you."

He immediately rose from his chair. "Rebekah? What the fuck is she doing here?"

Stefan was on his side in a minute, with a stake in his hand. "Call Alaric!" Damon ordered him. Stefan reluctantly flashed away.

"Bring her in" Damon added as he picked up a gun. If Rebekah tried to attack he would kill her in a second. He was already losing his mind. He didn't care about anyone anymore.

"Let me go or I'll snap your neck" He heard Rebekah screech before the guards brought her in.

"Why are you here Rebekah?" he asked, his one finger lingering toward the trigger of the gun.

"I come bearing good news, Damon" she said, struggling to release herself. "but I don't like the way your guards treat me so I'll just leave."

He rolled his eyes but gestured the guards to let her go. "I'm giving you five minutes, Rebekah. Tell me why you're here or I'll throw you to the wolves. I don't care if you're my mate's sister."

"Your mate has just given birth to your daughter. Abigail? That's what you decided you'll name her right?"

He felt as if he'd been punched in the chest. He was speechless. He couldn't believe it. He was a father now. He missed the birth of his first born. Klaus snatched those moments from him. It made him want to tear his hair from his roots but he focused on the good part. He focused on the news that his daughter was breathing now. She had her own form. Her own little heartbeat, her own little hands and feet. He felt so happy—so happy. He wanted to see her now. He didn't care if he died in the process.

"I can take you to her, Damon." Rebekah said. "but you have to do something for me in return?"

"I will do anything." He promised. "I just want my daughter and my mate."

"I want you to kill Klaus's mate. I want you to kill Caroline."

* * *

"What the hell is this Nick?" Kol growled at his brother.

"Kol, you're talking to your chief." Klaus hissed.

"To hell with that" Kol shouted. "Is this why you wanted her back? So she could be your breeding cow."

"Kol, your brother is only doing this for your family." Elijah intervened.

"Stay the fuck out of this, Elijah." Kol warned. "and let me warn you. Stay away from my sister Mr. Smith. If I saw you near her again I'll rip your hands off from your body."

"Kol, you're over reacting!"

"You removed her memories and replaced her mate with this man. You never mentioned the child once to me. You told me we were bringing Elena back to retrieve the honor of our clan when the whole time you only wanted Elena's child. Why? Nick. Why is this child so important?"

"It's very powerful, Kol." Klaus tried to explain. "She is hybrid. She is half vampire and half Petrova. She will have magical powers beyond recognition. She could take on hundred Bennett witches that's how powerful she would be if we—"

"Unbelievable." Kol said, shaking his head. "Do you even know how many friends and family members we have lost because of your obsession with power? Rebekah lost her mate, Nick. She is trying to kill herself every other second. Do you even care about her?"

"Kol, this is—"

"No, I won't let you use us anymore. We are done with you. Davina and I are moving out. I will be taking Rebekah and Elena too. I can take care of my sisters. We don't need you or the clan anymore."

"You're not taking Elena anywhere."

"Why?" Kol hissed. "You don't care about Elena anyway. All you wanted was a child from her. You can have her daughter. I'll be taking my sisters away. I won't allow you to hurt them anymore."

"You will do no such thing."

"Or what? You'll use the sire bond on me?" Kol growled.

Klaus look thunderstruck. "How do you…"

"and I know that all our clan is sired to you. If you don't want me to tell this to everyone you better let us go. We don't want to be part of your schemes anymore. You can keep Abigail. I am taking away my sisters."

What was the point of power if his family left him. Klaus thought. "Elena will never leave her daughter." He said to Kol.

"Elena never wanted to leave her mate either but you forced her, Didn't you? I'm sure you can figure a way out to make Elena forget about her daughter as well. Because in no way am I allowing you to give her to your minion here like a rag doll." He spat back, looking at Elijah with disgust.

It wasn't right to separate Elena from her daughter. But he knew Klaus would never let them go if he didn't leave Abigail behind. Klaus had waited for the hybrid child for a century. She was his obsession. The best Kol could do to save himself and his sisters from being used more was to run away with them.

The argument took another hour. In the end, Klaus had no other option but to let them go as Kol had warned him that if he didn't agree he would keep creating more problems for him. With a heavy heart, Klaus agreed.

* * *

 **One week later**

Damon was not only standing in Original's territory but he was standing inside the younger Michelson's house. All thanks to Rebekah. She had showed him a secret route inside the Original's territory. Elena would be heavily guarded but Rebekah assured him she will get rid of them before his arrival. And just like she promised they were all dead.

Caroline would be staying in the room next to his mate's tonight. He would have to finish her first before Rebekah could help him get out of the town. Devastated by the loss of his mate, Klaus would definitely come to take his revenge. Bonnie was already ready with her witches to freeze his heart with her magic and then they would stake him. That's what Rebekah wanted. She wanted Klaus dead.

He gestured for Stefan to enter from the backdoor while he took the front entrance. He didn't Stefan to come with him but Stefan had absolutely refused to let him go alone. 'Abby and Elena are my family too.' Stefan had used that excuse.

He jumped up onto the balcony and opened the door connecting it to his mate's room. It had been too long he had last seen her. Two weeks.

His eyes frantically searched for his daughter. His daughter was in a cradle next to his mate's bed. He slowly walked toward her and removed the blanket from her face. She was sleeping soundly.

So little, so harmless. So desperately wanted and loved by him and his mate.

Very gently he lifted his daughter and held her against his heart. A myriad of emotions washed over him as he lovingly gazed at his daughter. Slowly, very slowly he caressed her cheek. She whimpered and wrapped her hand around his little finger and it felt like they were wrapping around his heart. "Abby" he whispered as he kissed her tiny forehead. He felt peace he had never felt before. She was his world now. In that instant he knew he'd follow her everywhere. He'd give his life for her.

He didn't have much time. He had to get them out of here before Stefan killed the Original Queen in the next room. He placed her back in her cradle and walked toward his mate.

She looked so small lying there, so pale, so weak. His fingers trembled as he touched her forehead. He thought he would never see her again but here he was. "Elena?" he whispered.

She moaned as she shifted in bed.

"We have to get out of here, Elena." He whispered. "Wake up!"

She opened her eyes and looked at him, looking at his eyes for a long moment. She knew him. She just couldn't remember who he was? She had seen him in her dreams. She had remembered living moments with him. But she always thought those were her imagination. She always thought he was a figment of her imagination.

But he was here. He was real. And he was looking at her with so much love, so much adoration. She knew she had seen those eyes before. She touched his face as if he was a dream. "You're here." she murmured.

"Of course, I am" Damon replied surprised at her behavior.

"You're real." She murmured as her hands traced his face in a trance.

He remembered Rebekah had mentioned there was going to be a problem but she didn't quite explain what it was.

"Of course, I am" Bringing her palm to his lips, he kissed her. "Why are you acting like this?" he asked, puzzled.

Elena was in shock for a minute. When he kissed her she realized that she wasn't dreaming. The blue eyed stranger was indeed in her room. This wasn't a dream. She let out a scream on top of her lungs.

He was startled by her behavior as she shouted for help. Abigail started crying too, disturbed by her mother's screams.

"Elena… what the hell? Shhshh"

"Who are you?" she demanded, pulling away from him. "Please, don't hurt me."

"It's me, baby" he said, surprised. Why would he hurt her?

"Kol! Care! Help!" she shouted. "There is a Ripper in my room."

What was wrong with her? Why was she acting as if she didn't recognize him?

"Elena, I'm your mate." He kept his voice low as he gripped her shoulders. But it seem to scare her more.

"Don't hurt me, please" she muttered, closing her eyes as if hiding from him.

"Elena, I love you. Why would I hurt you?" he said shaking his head.

"You... you love me..." she stammered.

"More than anything in the world" he added.

"Elena!" he heard Kol call her frantically.

"Who are you?" She demanded, looking at his eyes, bewildered.

He could hear Kol and the rest of Originals approaching to Elena's room. He flashed to the balcony, hiding from them. He was still puzzled. She didn't recognize him…that meant Klaus had compelled her memories of him. Klaus had that power. And he was lowlife enough to do that. He felt his heart jump into his mouth and began to beat hard against his chest at that thought. How could she forget him. No! He won't let that happen. He cursed under his breath as he jumped down.

"Who was here?" he heard Kol snarl.

"Calm down, Lena." He heard another female voice. It wasn't Caroline. He zoomed to the other room's window.

"Ripper!" He heard Kol growl as he saw him. "Guards!" Kol shouted. When no one appeared he decided to capture the Ripper himself.

Damon broke through the window and jumped inside the room where Caroline was already pushed against a wall by Stefan while he was hovering a stake over her heart.

"Don't kill her yet." Damon ordered as he rushed to them.

He pulled the girl by her arm toward him and lowered a stake over her heart. "Stay back!" he warned Kol and a bunch of his vampires.

"You wouldn't dare!" Kol growled.

When he brought the stake to her chest, Kol shouted. "Okay. Okay." He took a couple of steps back.

"What did you do to my mate?" Damon demanded. "Why can't she recognize me?"

"We didn't do anything." Kol replied. "Nick removed her memories and replaced you with Elijah. She thinks Elijah is her mate."

His frown grew deeper, his fist clenched and he felt venom fill his mouth. How dare he? He wanted to inflict as much pain on them as possible. He was enraged now. How dare Klaus remove him from his mate's memories?

"Fix her!" he demanded.

"We can't." Kol replied. "Only Nick can do that." He added.

"Tell your 'Nick' that his mate would be our guest until he fixes my mate and hand her and my daughter back to me safe and sound." Damon threatened.

"You can't take her!" Kol protested, stepping closer.

"One more step and I'll pull her heart out." He warned.

From a distance, he saw Elena farther at the end of corridor. She was holding Abby close to her chest, quivering, looking at him as if she knew him from somewhere but couldn't remember him. He suddenly felt a longing for her. He yearned for her strength, her exuberance, her body, her touch. Originals had snatched one thing from him that mattered the world to him. But he would fix it. They couldn't take his family away from him.

"And make it quick" he warned Kol. "It's been a while my wolves had new chew toy." He said as he slowly wrapped an arm around the Original queen and escaped along with Stefan.

* * *

Kol called Klaus immediately and told him everything that happened. It took him half hour to return. He was furious. In his mad rage, he killed his own guard vampires.

"How the hell did he get in here?" he shouted. "I know a traitor must have helped him. Whoever it is, you should know I'll find you and I'll kill you." He threatened in his mad rage.

"This isn't time for that, Nick" Kol interfered. "You should surrender to Ripper or he would kill Caroline."

"HE WOULD DO NO SUCH THING" Klaus growled.

"HE WOULD" Kol hissed. "You have snatched his mate from him. You know very well what happens when you snatch a vampire's mate from him. He can do anything to get her back. He will stop at nothing until he has her."

"So… it's true. You did remove my memories" Elena interfered. Her eyes were glassy. She looked hurt and disgusted by him. "And all this time I thought I was going mad?" she choked.

"Honey… I" When he opened his mouth to speak, she slapped him. "I'm your sister" she shouted. "How could you take advantage of your own sister? You snatched my memories, my will, my right to make my own choices. Why?"

"For power, Hon" Kol replied, just as much disgusted. "You're from Petrova blood. Your hybrid child would have magical power

"What?... is that all I mean to you Nick , was the magic of my blood the only thing you wanted? " she detected his face for emotions.

He stood there cold as stone, looking at her frozen as his he had been exposed, power wasn't his only motive, he wanted her happy, but he couldn't achieve that.

She was spurting out words in sobs "I-uh wouldn't believe it if it weren't in front of me. You-you used me "

He got ahead as she moved back from him "Elena I didn't had a choice I needed to protect you and our family."

She interrupted "Protect me from what? From my truth? From what I was living I know why… because it wasn't what you wanted, cause I wasn't being the controlled doll of yours"

He said louder "Fine I did it! but I did it because they are the enemies. He only wants you because he knows my family is my weakness. He is only using you, the day he kills me he is going to feed you all to his wolves. I have to be powerful to protect my people. I have to be powerful to protect you."

"Then why did you want my daughter?"

"I..."

She shook her head "You're not doing this for us. You're doing everything for yourself. All you ever cared about was your power. It didn't matter if you turned us your slaves in the process"

"ELENA" he warned adding "Listen!"

"You're going to give me my memories back. You're going to take me to my… my real mate. And you're never going to show me your fucking face again." She gritted through her teeth.

He was bewildered by her behavior. There was nothing but hatred in her eyes. Kol's expression matched hers. For the first time, he felt like he lost everything.

* * *

"You promised me you'll kill her mate." Rebekah growled to him. She had been one phone with the Ripper chief for fifteen minutes now. He was backing off on his deal.

"I want my mate back, Rebekah. With her memories." he replied. "and the only way to get her back is through this Original bitch." He replied.

"but we had a deal Damon"

"If I kill her, he will never give me Elena. He might even harm her." Damon replied. "I can't risk it."

She screamed and threw her phone on the wall. He used her. Just like Klaus did. Everyone used her. She wasn't happy. She wanted peace. She wanted to die but Klaus's order stopped her. She couldn't even kill herself.

Klaus snatched her mate from him. Damon double crossed her. She would snatch the one thing from them that they both desperately wanted.

* * *

It was raining heavily. Dark clouds hung ominously above, holding a promise of more rain. A gust of icy, cold wind slapped them. The thunder rolled across the darkening sky, lightning struck and that you could feel vibration in the ground. There was a storm coming. A dark, rich storm.

He was standing near his car while Stefan was holding Caroline in an iron grip, a stake over her heart. Enzo was standing near him with his vampires ready to attack while Bonnie and Tyler were hidden, ready to attack on his signal.

The roar of the cars from the Originals could be heard. They stopped just right across the border. He smiled when he heard his daughter's whimpers and sounds as if she was excited to come to him too. His super hearing picked Elena's heartbeat. She was here.

Klaus jumped out of the front seat while Kol was sitting on the backseat with his sister and Abby. Elena lifted her eyes once to meet his and as they did a surge of euphoria rose up through him. There was recognition in her gaze and a little love too but it wasn't how she usually looked at him. That was the look she gave him in the early days of their dating.

That's when he knew Klaus had not given her, her memories back.

Klaus looked at his mate with anguish in his eyes. He had to save her. He would submit to Rippers for her. A vampire could do anything for his mate.

"You can have eye sex later." Damon interrupted. "I don't have all day."

"You'll pay for this, Ripper." Klaus growled.

"One more word and I'll throw her to my pets. They would love to chew on Original flesh."

"You do that and you'll never see your mate again." Klaus warned him.

"Nick!" Kol warned him. "Just do it"

He turned to his sister. "Have a nice life, Honey. I'm sorry for everything. Give my love to Abby." Kol whispered in her ear as he hugged her. She nodded, circling one arm around him. "If he ever bothers you, you know where to find me." He added as he pulled away. He jumped out of the car, putting his stoic cold mask back.

Klaus cupped her face, taking a deep breath. "I give you your memories back. You now remember everything. Your mate is not… Elijah Smith. Your mate is the Ripper chief Damon Salvatore." Klaus said, looking into her eyes.

He was going against Mikael's wishes as he submitted to Rippers. He had told Klaus to man up and fight for his mate but Klaus couldn't risk her. His mate was his weakness. He had called Klaus an excuse for son because of that. Isobel wanted to stop Elena from going but Elena made it clear that she wanted to live with her mate and they couldn't force her to stay.

Elena's eyes blinked as the memories rushed back to her. She felt almost overwhelmed as all the blurred memories started to become clear. Somehow they were always present in the back of her mind. But in a blurry hazy mess. Her tear stained eyes met her mate's. A small smile appeared on her face. She felt an overwhelming love for him. It knew no bounds. There was a fierce, profound desire to be with him. She wanted to be in his arms. She wanted to be with him forever.

Damon's eyes stayed on his mate the whole time. Her doe eyes stared at him as if she had never seen him before. The love in Elena's eyes for him had returned. He felt eagerness, longing and pure raw love from her. To him, her eyes had never looked more alluring. He captured that moment in his mind. He would sketch her later.

Hiding her daughter's face in a blanket, she jumped out of the car, eager to reach her mate. Just than a gush of wind passed through Originals to him. It was Rebekah. The furious blonde girl looked at him with rage before she snatched the stake from Stefan and plunged it into Caroline's chest.

"No!" Klaus shouted in agony. Caroline fell on her feet gasping for breath. Damon pulled the stake out of her immediately but she was still screaming in pain.

Klaus immediately flashed to her, Kol followed. "My love, Caroline. Please breathe" he begged her. He plunged his hand in her chest to pull out the remaining bits of the wooden stake.

She was breathing harshly, trying to open her eyes.

"Please, you can't leave me. Caroline, I'll die." Klaus begged her. She held his shirt tightly as if trying to hold on to whatever life is left in her. When her skin started to gray, Klaus howled in pain. "No. No. No." Everyone was busy looking at the Original chief and his mate at shock. No one noticed when someone sneaked toward Originals.

"Damon!" Damon heard Elena's panicked voice.

His eyes snapped to find his mate gone. It was like she just vanished.

"Elena?" he shouted. He rushed to where he had last seen her. The Original vampires that Kol and Klaus had brought were either staked or their neck was snapped.

"Elena!" he shouted on top of his lungs. He vamp sped around, to see where she was. But it was like she disappeared in thin year. He couldn't even see any footsteps.

He heard Rebekah's cruel crackling laugh. He zoomed to her and held her by her neck. "What did you do to my mate? Where is my mate?"

"He got what he deserved" Rebekah said with a smirk, signaling to her brother who was still down on his knees, hugging his mate's body to his chest. It was like he wasn't aware of anything as he tried to help his mate in any way to breathe. But he was failing. "And you'll get what you deserve for double crossing me." Rebekah added.

Kol was on his side in an instant. "Rebekah! What the hell? Where is Honey?"

"Tell me or I'll stake you right now!" Damon growled. He couldn't hear anything, couldn't see anything. He was completely and totally blinded by his rage and he felt a sickening desperation. He had to know where his mate and his daughter was.

"The council has her" She choked. "I told them about the abomination she and her daughter is. Half vampire, half hybrid, with power that knows no bounds. I told them Nick is going to use them against the council. They will be dead before the dawn" she said with an evil smirk.

* * *

Last update

"It's the Original chief." Tyler said. "He demands to see you."

.

.

.

"I'll help you save them Ripper" Klaus announced.

* * *

 **A/N: Don't be too mad at me. This was bound to happen. You'll see everything would be worth it in the last update.**

 **So what do you think?**

 **Is Caroline alive?**

 **Will Damon save his mate and daughter from the vampire council? I'm sure Rippers would do anything to get their queen back. Kol would definitely help Damon despite their differences. Does Klaus really want to help or Is there a plan in his mind again?**

 **Will Damon and Elena get a happy ending after everything they had been through?**

 **Do review because I really need your support especially when he had approached the end.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the mess and angst.**

 **I will upload 'The Scandal' soon too.**

 **Again... Thank you so much for the support till now. This is not my favorite chapter but it was important and took six days to write, do review!**


	33. Come back, I still need you

**Chapter 32**

* * *

 **This chapter is dedicated to 'Manali'(AllthingsDelena) and all guest reviewers!**

 **A/N: Italics are Elena's subconscious calling to Damon or either a memory.**

* * *

Caroline was choking, gasping to breath. Klaus tore his wrist and was about to feed her his blood, when she gasped, her grip on his shirt loosened. The life in her eyes died. She was gone. For a minute Klaus was startled. No. This couldn't happen. He couldn't lose his mate, the love of his life. This couldn't happen. She died in his arms and he couldn't save her. One short breath and she was gone.

Now, all the power in the world couldn't bring her back. She was gone forever. The realization hit him and he felt he couldn't breathe. He could barely make out Kol's voice. Everything was blur now. He didn't care about anything anymore.

"She was your sister, you raised her, how could you do this to her?" Kol asked in disbelief. His sister Rebekah stood cold in front of him and he barely knew her, she wasn't the Rebekah who worried like a mother, who had the most warm and loving heart.

She shrugged "It didn't had anything to do with Elena or Caroline; my revenge is purely based on Klaus's behavior with us. He forced me to attempt such a thing. I wanted to destroy him I didn't want to hurt her. I wanted to hurt him" Rebekah said as she pointed at Klaus.

"He destroyed all of us. He doesn't give a damn about us. He will kill each and every one of us for his personal gain. I wanted to destroy him. The only two things he ever loved were his mate and power." she smiled menacingly, baring her teeth, "I snatched his mate from him and by giving up information about Elena and her daughter to council I screwed his chance to gain the power he yearned for centuries."

"You should have killed me, you didn't needed to bring her into this " Klaus mumbled hunching even closer over his wife's dead body, tears running down his red bloodshot eyes He pointed at Caroline's gray body adding "What did she ever do to you ? Why her? "

Rebekah snarled "It's very easy when its other people's pain isn't it? How does it feel now?" She got ahead and smiled, walking in slow circles around him.

"Hollow? Lost? That killing feeling where you think you've lost home forever. You remember their last breath, their gasps, the pain they felt when they were dying. It keeps tormenting you. You want them but you can't find them. And even if you turn your emotions off. The pain might go away, but the emptiness won't. The peace is lost forever."

Klaus gulped "You did this to me."

"No, you did this to yourself. You're the reason my mate died. Did you even care how I felt that night? I wanted to die. I kept having nightmares. I heard his gasps. I felt the pain he felt when he was dying. Do you know how it feels to die over and over again? That's what you made me go through.

Your madness for power snatched the love of your life. It is your fault. Do you even realize the pain everyone endured because of you? Now do you feel the anguish of losing the one you loved the most?

Klaus squeezed his eyes shut containing the pain, muttering " I get it you hate me but why'd you bring Elena into this Becca?"

She snickered "Oh you're still upset because your plan failed?"

"She will die because I don't want you to have her. Your plan failed, Nick. You will never get the power of the hybrid child. They will both die—"

"I am going to kill you." Damon raged as he picked up the stake to drive it through her heart, if his mate was in trouble for the stupid reasons of making Klaus suffer he would definitely kill her. He felt as if every one of those words had smashed into his heart. As the shock wore off anger boiled inside his chest like lava. His heart ached. His fists curled.

His mate was in danger because of this bitch. He would destroy her. It was madness. He wanted revenge.

"Don't!" Kol stopped him. "Her emotions are turned off. She just lost her mate. She isn't aware of what she is doing. Please I beg you, don't kill her." He said, standing in front of his sister, protecting her.

Damon's hands were balled into hammer like fists, his nostrils flared like an angry bull's. He bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. The stake still in his hand, he mentally went through all the memories Elena had with her, holding her wedding dress, making her paintings, he also knew that if she came back she would never forgive him for killing her sister.

Swallowing a big lump in his throat he threw the stake to aside, he ordered. " Get out of my sight and territory now."

* * *

 **The Rippers, Mystic Falls.**

They searched far and wide around Mystic Falls border for Elena but it seemed like council had already taken her to Arran town. Alaric took the decision to attack after they talk to the council. Damon didn't agree but Alaric convinced him that they needed support from friends. Attacking the old ones was not wise.

Without wasting more time, Rippers rushed back to their town. As soon as Damon stepped foot inside his house, he ordered Stefan and Enzo to prepare for the battle. They would war against old ones for their queen. While Rippers were preparing, Damon called Lord Silas to form a compromise treaty with Old ones. This was Alaric's suggestion. He wanted to avoid battle.

Lord Augustine and Lord Silas were Damon's sympathizer and his friends. He thought they surely would understand. Silas was really disappointed to just find the news about Elena's relation to Petrova.

"You never told me your mate was a Petrova." He barked.

"Because that had nothing do to with you." The Ripper chief replied.

"Our alliance is based on trust, Damon." Silas said in a disturbed tone. "The girl is a hybrid and she just had a child too. Do you think we don't know of their power? Were you planning to use them against the council?"

"I had no such intentions. We want peace with the council. We have always respected and accepted council." He gritted through his teeth. "Don't accuse me of things that you clearly know who planned."

"So Nicklaus planned this?"

"You already know that." He replied.

"It doesn't matter who planned it." Lord Silas replied. "She was made to destroy us. We are well aware of what hybrids are capable of. We know of their uncontrollable power. The girl is a menace to old ones."

"What? No. No. Look, I take full responsibility of making sure Abigail and Elena learn to control their magic. I have witches here who would teach her. I assure you their power will never be used against the old ones." He spoke.

"I am sorry, Damon." Silas let out a long sigh. "We can't take your word for it. Hybrids are abomination. These children of demon and witch blood could be threatening to our race. We can't risk it."

"My mate and my daughter are not abomination." He shouted.

"Give me the phone," Alaric demanded. "My lord, surely we can design a peace treaty. I know their race is unheard off but Elena has a pure heart, she never killed. And Abigail, we will train her she would follow vampire law—"

"I can't do anything for you, Alaric" Lord Silas said with fake grief in his tone. "Council plans to execute her."

Smack. It felt like being punched in the chest, but ten times worse. "No!" Damon said as he snatched phone from Alaric. "Don't hurt Elena, ok? You leave her alone and I swear I'll never ask you for anything again."

"It doesn't work that way, Damon." Lord Silas replied coldly. "We can't do anything Damon. She is an abomination that needs to be erased. I know this would not set well with you… Klaus plans to use their power for himself. He wants to use them against us. We can't risk it."

"Klaus will never get their hands on them" he replied. "I take full responsibility for my mate but please… please don't hurt her." He pleaded, his voice shaking.

"We can't risk it, Damon."

"If you hurt her I would destroy you." The fire in his eyes suddenly banked to a cold stare, and his voice lowered to a threatening hiss. He didn't care that he was threatening centuries old vampire.

"Stay in your limits, Ripper chief. You dare to threaten me?" Lord Silas replied. "Your clan might be strong but you're nothing in front of us 'Old ones'. If you tried to stop us you'll meet the same fate as hers." With that said Silas hung up on him. He was clearly confident of his power. No one could defeat the old ones.

A mad savage fury seized him, it ran through his veins like a lava, demanding to kill anything that was in front of him. He threw the phone on the mirror in front of him with all force. He turned from the mirror and looked at the table near the window. His rage was such that he broke the table and threw a portion of it against a wall. Why? Why him? Why was the world set on tearing them apart?

He heard her whispers, her pleadings. She was afraid. She was calling for him. "Help"

* * *

 **The Originals, Mystic Falls.**

"He has been up there for hours now "Kol commented worried. Mikael was sitting on the sofa by the put out fire place drinking blood from a wine glass "Of course, the idea of living without a mate might be upsetting him, Kol. He needs time to adjust. "

Kol shook his head "He needs peace, his peace was Caroline, the one thing that he could hold on to even if the worst happened to him, Father! I've never seen like this before."

"He should turn it off. "Mikael suggested

Kol disagreed at once "You did that to Bex and that didn't turn out so good now did it?"

They heard a snicker. Rebekah entered the room raking a hand through her hair "What are you talking about sweet brother? I am doing perfect!" She sat on the arm of Mikael's sofa. "Can I have that?" she said as she took the blood filled vine glass from her father.

Mikael shook his head at her "What are you doing here? The last thing Nicklaus would want to see is you, Rebekah. Where is Isobel? Tell her to take you back to our house. He shouldn't know you're here." He was about to call his wife when Rebekah threw the vine glass on the marble floor.

She spat "I don't care father, he can go to hell for all I care."

Mikael got up furiously but before he could say something Kol interrupted "Wait! What's that sound ?" He flashed upstairs to his brother's room and kicked the door open.

His eyes widened when he see his brother aiming a stake to his chest but before it could go in all the way Kol shouted and flashed in front of him . Seeing him, Klaus tried to thrust it inside faster but couldn't manage as Kol pushed the stake away from his hand, it fell far from his reach. Kol held him by his arms growling " WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"

Klaus fell to his knees "Kill me! Do me this last favor and put an end to me, it hurts." For a moment, he stayed motionless as if lost in a thought. This wasn't the Nicklaus Michelson, everyone knew. The tough exterior slowly peeled away revealing a vulnerable, broken man.

"I hear her calling for me but I can't see her. Rebekah was right. It feels terrible. I hear her screams, I hear gasps, I remember exactly how her heart stopped beating. It feels like dying a thousand deaths every second. Please. Please. Just kill me." He wasn't weeping but he looked pained as if he was in torture. His eyes were red and swollen even though he haven't cried even once. Caroline was gone and it was still unacceptable to him. He knew her funeral was in a couple of hours but he still didn't accept that she was dead. He was never going to hear her voice again. He was never going to see the lights of life in her beautiful blue eyes. This was torture on his own.

He heard her last breath again, he felt the way her fingers slid down his shirt as life drained from her eyes. The pain was unbearable. "Kill me, Kol. Please!"

Kol too sat down by his side "This isn't an option right now."

He shook his head "It is the only option, Kol. She is waiting for me , and I …I am nothing without her , I want to be with her."

He reached for the stake with trembling hands giving it in Kol's shaking hands. "No! Kill me! I don't want to live like this. So much pain. This is what everyone wants right? My death. I want that too."

"No" Kol shook his head.

Kol threw it away "You're the biggest coward I've seen in my life. This is not going to undo the torment everyone went through because of you. Caroline would never want that."

Klaus shouted in agony "So what else should I do? There is absolutely nothing I want to live for. There is nothing I can do."

Kol shook his head "Your sister is still out there with her daughter. She is in danger. She is the same sister we swore to protect, the one who saved Caroline over and over again. You owe it to her to save her after everything you put her and her mate through."

Klaus swallowed thick "I – Elena would never want to see me again, never in a thousand years. "

"Yes but that would be your first step toward redemption. We put her through a lot. We made her life a living hell just because she chose someone we didn't approve. We have to save her, Nick. Even Care would want this. She always wanted our family united, didn't she? Do this for her."

Klaus clutched his hair, murmuring his wife's name. He didn't look like he was listening to a word Kol was saying. He was lost in his own world.

Kol tapped his shoulder and got up " I won't say you didn't deserve it but you have a chance at redemption. Yes Caroline is dead, we cannot change that. We lost our friends. Rebekah lost her mate and you made her shut off her humanity. Elena is with council who wants to kill her. This is all because of your greed. You destroyed our family. You raised her like a daughter but you used her. For once do something right, Nick."

Not hearing a reply and just seeing tears running down his eyes, Kol sighed and turned to leave.

"I won't allow anyone hurt my own people especially my siblings. Let's go, Kol. I'm ready." He said, getting up on his feet. His face was cold and void of all emotions. He looked like the Klaus everyone feared. He looked predator again.

Kol turned "For what?"

Klaus wiped his tears with his arm, "To fight and get our sister back even if we die in the process, I want to earn Caroline's forgiveness and the right to be called your elder brother again."

Hope sparked around them and suddenly it started feeling easy, Klaus no longer wanted to talk to Caroline's pictures and smell her clothes, he wanted to do the right thing. Redemption was the only way he could attain peace in after life, the only way to reunite with Caroline again.

They heard a cruel laughter and saw Rebekah entering the room clapping " Wow! A reunion. Tell me more!"

It took everything inside Klaus, not to rip her head off. He had to remind himself that his wife's death was his own fault. He was the one who made Rebekah turn off her humanity. The love of his life, his wife died because of his own selfishness and greed. The very thought plunged a dagger in his soul.

She walked to Kol draping her arm across his back "You really must not trust him, Kol. He's lost it. He can't fight the council."

Klaus shook his head "I will fight God for my family."

Rebekah laughed like a manic. "Poor, Klaus. His mate is gone and so is his one source of power…I understand Klaus that kind of loss messes with these weird chemicals in our head, I kind of feel why you're a little depressed , and so desperate. You know there is an escape. I can pull your heart out and finish the pain."

Klaus stood firm and cold as she walked to him caressing his face in a mocking way.

She smiled "You think you'll rescue Elena and Rippers would forgive you?"

He ignored the urge to kill her "I don't want their forgiveness. I don't want anything to do with them. I will only help them rescue, Elena "

Rebekah widened her eyes and started laughing the next second, turning to Kol "Now I am sure he's gone cuckoo!"

Klaus said louder "I can do anything for one of my own. I'll save my little sister at any cost even if it means joining forces with Rippers."

She chuckled "Well do tell me how that works out for you, if Damon doesn't rip you open."

Before she could go Kol held her elbow roughly turning her to him" This isn't you, Bex. You're going to regret this. "

She pretended to pout "Aww! Poor me. "

"You put your 'Honey' on stake, Bex" Kol shouted. "We raised her like our own child. She loved you more than she respected Isobel! How could you do this to her? Aren't you even a little ashamed?"

"Don't you see, Kol" She replied. "I don't feel anything. I don't care!"

Kol zoomed from the bedroom to kitchen downstairs. They had a lot of memories of Elena's childhood stored securely. She was the only child of the family and they documented every moment of her childhood.

When he returned he was holding a drawing. "Maybe this would remind you what you're about to lose." Kol replied as he thrust a painting in her hand. It was Rebekah's portrait. Elena had painted her way back on Rebekah's birthday. It brought out a lot of memories.

For the first time Rebekah felt something… shock, realization and pain.

* * *

 **The Rippers, Mystic Falls.**

They were ready to attack. Alaric had tried everything in his power to convince the Council to wait for them so they could plead their case. Lord Augustine assured them they would wait but they knew the council was tricking them.

 _She was in close room, gasping to breath. Her hands circled around her daughter's fragile body. They were planning her death. She was afraid he wouldn't make it this time. He wouldn't be able to save her from her fate. Her death was inevitable. Two vampire males were coming to vervain her._

Damon flinched as he snapped out of his thoughts. The blood bond was showing him her worst fears. She was terrified but not for her life. She was thinking about their miracle daughter. Their Abby.

Alaric noticed his discomfort. His fists were curled, his jaw clenched.

"These are just her thoughts. None of that is real. They haven't even taken her in front of the council yet. " Alaric reminded him. The mating bond could be a curse sometimes. It made sure you felt everything your mate felt. Your mate's pain would agonize you, torment you until you broke down. Alaric had suffered the same when Klaus killed his mate, centuries ago.

Klaus had tormented her for hours before he killed her. He gave her a slow death just so Alaric would feel overwhelming agony.

"I know," he replied but he was still synced to his mate. He would take all the pain in the world just to assure himself that she was still breathing.

"We've consumed power from the moon." Bonnie announced. "We are ready."

"So are we but we'll be useless by dawn so we'll have to hurry." Tyler added. "Some of us can keep our shape even after sunrise but it could be dangerous. Sun blinds us. We wouldn't know which vampires is ours and which is theirs."

They had a brief discussion about battle strategy. Bonnie's witches and Tyler's wolves convinced them that in this time of difficulty they would help the Ripper vampires get their Queen back. The Ripper Queen was their pride and honor and they wouldn't allow anyone to harm her.

"We are ready for it, Damon. We will get her back." Stefan promised. They picked up their weapons, talking about attack positions. Damon reminded all the lessons they have learned to save themselves from old vampires. They vamp sped toward the parking of the house.

He looked at Alaric who nodded, approving this battle. "Who is going to stay behind and look out after town?" Enzo asked.

"You are!" Damon replied. "Keep a strict eye on border. That psychotic mix breed fucking Klaus Michelson lost his mate today. He can do anything today. Make sure—" The words were left unsaid when Lexi arrived and announced. "The Original chief is on the border he demands to talk to you."

Did he hear it right? Klaus wanted to talk to him. The Original chief wanted to 'talk'. What wicked scheme was going through his mind again? He didn't have time for Klaus or any of Original. He was done with them. They were all selfish. They never cared for Elena. He thought Rebekah was different but even she was a bitch. Once he get Elena back he wouldn't even allow them to so much as look at her.

"Tell him to fuck himself. I don't have time for him." He replied.

"He says that he wants to help." Lexi added, hesitantly. "They are all at the border. Nicklaus, Kol and their father Mikael."

"Did you hear what I said?" Damon gritted through his teeth. Elena's thoughts tortured him, her fear was bringing out his primal instinct to protect his mate. He didn't know how much longer he could fight his demon.

"I think we should hear them out." Alaric suggested.

"Every second is precious, Rick. I don't have time for those…" He was about to curse them in every language he knew but Alaric interrupted. "Elena is an Original too, Damon. Maybe that's why they want to help us."

When Bonnie and Stefan sided with Alaric, Damon had to submit. They rushed to the border to see what Klaus had to say.

"You've already put her in grave danger. What more do you want from us?" He spoke bitterly.

Klaus crossed his arms on his chest. His face was stoic. It was impossible to read him. Kol was standing right behind him, his eyes cold. Mikael was on Klaus's other side, supporting his son.

"Originals want to help you save her." Klaus replied. There was no emotion in his tone. It almost seemed like another trap.

"Go back to your home. We don't need your help. I can save my mate by myself." He replied, bitterly.

"This is not time for ego Ripper. The council is strong. We have to join forces if you want to save her."

"How do we believe this is not another trick again?" Stefan spat.

"She is our little sister, Ripper." Kol replied. "We are family and we always protect each other."

"Your sister is the reason she is in danger in first place." Damon reminded.

"We are wasting time here, Salvatore." Klaus hissed. "The council would kill her as soon as they present her to Lord Branston. We can play the blame game later." He replied.

"Why are you doing this?" Damon demanded, suspiciously.

 _"Redemption. I lost the love of my life because of greed. I want to show Elena that her brother isn't as selfish as she thought. He really loves her."_ Klaus thought turning around.

"None of your fucking business." Klaus replied. "She is my sister and it's my duty to protect her."

"Together we can defeat them, Damon." Kol added. "We have age as advantage. You have weapons, training and witches. We can easily overpower them."

"He is right," Stefan said to his brother. "The more the number—the better."

In the next ten minutes, the decision was made. For the first time in two centuries, the Rippers and Originals untied for one common cause. They had to save their Original Princess and the Ripper Queen.

* * *

 **The Council-Arran Town.**

Dragged in a stony dark corridor, she was being taken to the dungeon, these people were mistaking her for a monster. She didn't care if anything happened to her, she wanted her daughter safe. The vampires threw her on the cold ground. She let out a cry and wrapped her hands around her crying daughter, making sure she didn't get hurt. Abigail let out a whimper.

"Shh… Abby. Don't worry. Daddy will save us" Elena brought Abigail close to her chest and kissed on her head, Abigail had her father's scent. She took a deep breathe, inhaling her scent, feeling content. Her body shook in fear for the life of her daughter.

The guards looked at her coldly. "You'll be presented in front of the council in a few minutes. Make sure you behave yourself. We will not tolerate disrespect. Do you understand?"

Their sharp fangs flashed in the lamp light, their eyes blazed as if they would tear her open if she so much as moved.

Elena pulled her daughter closer, nodding. She didn't have any other choice. In order to protect her daughter she will have to do whatever they said.

After a couple of minutes they took her to the dimly lit court room and presented her in front of all the lords and ladies of the council. Following the ritual of the council, one of the lords gave a formal introduction of her and claimed her and Abigail as danger to vampire race.

The council called the witches who crowded her. Abigail woke up from her slumber in Elena's arms and started crying feeling danger.

"Can you feel the magic from her, witches?" Lord Branston.

"Yes… strong power. "The old witch said closing her eyes to see the duo's power spread across in different colors smoke

"What is she?" Lord Branston asked.

"A third species, stronger than a werewolf, faster than a vampire, dangerous than an average witch ... a Hybrid; half Petrova and half vampire… created by magic of a witch and mating bond between two vampire."

"She is an abomination "one of the assistant witches commented feeling her power.

"We have to destroy her." The first witch said instantly.

"But she belongs from two strongest clans, she is Nicklaus's sister and the Ripper queen, those people will launch a war against us if we harm her." One of the Lords said.

Lord Hummel agreed "The Ripper chief will personally kill us if we try to put an end to this "

Lady Pearl added "What about Klaus he will down all hell upon us! "

Lord Branston sighed walking in a circle around Elena and Abigail "but are two lives worth enough to put our race in danger. Nicklaus planned to use this girl against us. It was his agenda from day one to use the girl's magic to put us down. "

"I am my own person. I don't follow Klaus Michelson's rules anymore. He isn't my chief. I assure you that I mean no harm. Please, let us go." She pleaded.

"but she is sired to him. We can't take her word. Klaus can make her do anything he wants." Lady Pearl.

"Sired?" Everyone gasped, talking about how dangerous that was.

"This girl is a menace." One of ladies said.

"She is a threat to us." One of the lord added.

"She is sired… she doesn't have any control over her body. Of course, we can't take her word."

"If we don't execute her now, Nicklaus will make a hybrid army using her blood."

"All in favor of the execution of the hybrids?" Lord Branston asked.

Almost every hand rose, except Lord Hummel and Augustine. Lord Branston narrowed his eyes and gestured them to stand up. "Why are you hesitant Lord Hummel?"

"My Lord, as I said before, the girl belongs from strong families. She is Nicklaus's sister and Ripper Chief Damon's mate. They will definitely avenge her."

"so what? We will do what we always do. We will turn him against Originals. Centuries ago, when Alaric rebelled against our decision regarding the execution of Bennett witches, we tricked Nicklaus and sent him to deal with Saltzman. The Original chief killed Saltzman's wife clan for us. For our alliance, Nicklaus hunted down every witch clan and killed them all. Alaric never knew that it was by our order that his wife's clan got murdered in cold blood.

What we didn't know was that Alaric would make his own clan. Lucky for us, Rippers hated Originals. They never came for us. They accepted council and went by our rules. We can easily play both these clans.

We will tell Damon that Originals has her. They killed her and the hybrid child because the hybrid girl betrayed them and had chosen her mate over them." He concluded "It's not like we didn't do it before , its best interest of all us that both these clans remain enemies over her execution rather than reuniting and coming after the council which could eventually be the end of us."

Their schemes were unbelievable. She couldn't believe this. Both Rippers and Originals were being played by the council for centuries.

"After all it's her own sister who handed her to us." Lord Silas said.

"All in favor of execution of the hybrids?" Lord Branston asked again.

Everyone raised their hands.

Elena gulped in fear digging her baby near her body "No, please!"

"Please, do whatever you want to me but please don't hurt my daughter." She pleaded.

"The proof has been attained. The girl and her offspring are dangerous to our race. The council orders the hybrid girl to be executed by dawn" Lord Branston announced.

"Take the child from her" Lady Pearl ordered. "And give her to witches. Order them to stop the heartbeat of the child."

Something akin to fear made her limbs go numb. It was a sudden instinct she felt the power inside her. Her eyes blazed, she didn't know what came over. "Stay away from me" she hissed. The colors of her eyes changed from soft brown to darkest black.

She started chanting a spell, a spell she didn't knew.

"What is she doing?"

The ground beneath them began to shake furiously. The walls began to crumble, shake and collapse. A gust of strong wind hurled through the wall.

"What's happening?"

"The girl is doing her magic."

"Stop her."

A vampire dashed toward her but was thrown on the opposite wall by an invisible barrier. The ground, ripped open; plums of fire streaked up, the earth screamed in pain. The fire started to spill around. The wind howled outside and the lights flickered shut. A shower of sparks flew around.

"Stop it, Hybrid!"

"Young Ripper I command you to stop!" Lord Branston ordered.

The council witches begun to chant spell to protect their Lords and ladies. Their magic wasn't strong. It only fed the fire more and it started to spread fast.

"We have to get out of here." A witch said to the Lord. "We can't stop it."

"but what about the girl?"

"The hybrid child is feeding her power. The Ripper girl can't control that much magic. She will die on her own."

* * *

Mating bond could sometimes be torture. With every passing second, it was becoming more and more difficult to control his primal instinct. His demon urges were overpowering his sanity and Elena's fear laced emotions definitely didn't help.

Ever since he and Elena had met they had faced problems after problems. Countless times, he had saved her from torturous death. It seemed like she was being punished by the universe for loving him. Demons weren't supposed to love. But they fought against their fate. They had fought against the universe to be together. He never wanted the love of his life to be fear for her life. The very fact challenged his pride. He was supposed to protect her.

As he closed his eyes, he heard whispers, her sobs, her muffled cries. Her worst fears were playing like a movie before his eyes.

 _In a blind agony, she was dragging herself away from the approaching men, till her back touched the rough dungeon walls, she pleaded "Please, please don't kill me."_

 _The chief of the Council and his friends stood motionless in their glorious uniforms in front of her witnessing the act_. _One of the men dressed in full black , face covered , yanked her up by her hair. She cried in pain._

He felt his teeth emerge from his gums, his eyes turning black with anger. His primal instinct taking over.

"No," Alaric snapped at him. "Control yourself. They are just her thoughts."

He clenched his fists, pushing back his vampire face. "Elena," he murmured. He whispered to her that he would save her, that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. But she wasn't listening. It was as if her fear never let her hear him.

" _Hybrids are threat to us." Chief of Lords said. "We have to kill it."_

" _Take the child away from her," Lady Pearl's voice boomed. "Stop its heart."_

" _No, please, no" Elena pleaded as they snatched the child from her. One of the witches started chanting spell. Elena was thrashing, trying to get out of hold of the vampires, reaching for her daughter._

" _It's done!" One of the witches said._

" _No!" Elena screamed in pain. She was crying as she watched them take her dead daughter away. They circled around her, she wasn't pleading anymore. She had lost all will to fight. She closed her eyes in a surrender._

 _A hand dug into her chest pulling out the one thing Damon cherished the most , his home, her heart._

He shouted "NO! Elena! NO"

His demon instincts took over his body. He wasn't thinking anymore. His eyes were bloodshot , his fangs tore through his gums. He would kill each and every one of them. How dare they threaten her?

Before he could act, someone threw hot burning vervain water on him. He hissed in pain as the liquid burned his skin, coming back to his human form.

"I… I didn't know what happened."

"It's the mating bond." Alaric said. "It keeps triggering you." He said, understandingly. "But we need you to stay sane." He added, offering him vervain herbs. "Chew it. The pain will keep you distracted."

"This will burn him." Stefan protested.

"He is supposed to lead us." Alaric replied. "We can't follow him if he isn't sane himself. He has to control his instincts."

Stefan was about to argue but Damon had already made the decision when he took vervain herbs from Alaric's hand and started to chew them. It felt like acid but the pain was pushing back his demon instincts that Elena was subconsciously triggering.

Her fears were his worst nightmares. Even the thought of her not breathing anymore felt a stake dug deep in his heart. And Abigail. He didn't even want to think about anyone hurting her. He would down hell upon anyone who would so much look at her the wrong way.

He tried to build a connection telling her how much he loved her and she had to trust him. He was coming for her. He would save her like he always did. "God damn it, Elena don't scare me , I promise I'll get you out of there, Love. I'll take you far away from all this mess, my Baby vamp but right now you have to fight this. You have to trust me. I'll save you."

She was in pain. He could feel that.

He could feel her feeble response , of course they left the love of his life , starving and restless in a dungeon. The nerve of those people. Didn't they know his queen wasn't comfortable on anything other than soft silk sheets, didn't they know she took snacks in every three to four hours, Is that how they were keeping his Elena and his Abigail, he will make each and every one of them suffer, how did they even thought to eradicate what he lived for, How dare they call her 'it'?

He would end the council today.

The car stopped in Arran town. The winds howled around them, the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared tremendously. The whole que of cars stopped behind his car everyone rushed out and gathered under the dark sky. First time in history Klaus and Damon were face to face to save someone precious to both of them. Both the clans had put everything to a side just for her.

Damon cleared his throat with a cough "The rippers will-"

Klaus interrupted "I don't think parting strategy would be wise, Every two ripper soldiers will team with one original, merging our powers would be in our best interest."

Damon wouldn't admit but that did sound very promising. Klaus was of course a brilliant warrior. "Agreed. Half of the vampires can attack the front with me, the rest of the vampires be split in two groups, one go on the back and others from the corners towards the roofs, so we surrounded them. We will attack from both sides."

"Very well" Klaus sounded serious, he had unread expressions.

"Witches would come with my group." He turned around.

"We will wait till midnight to turn into our wolf forms then we will join you." Tyler added.

Damon turned to his clan. "The council made a grave mistake when they took away your Queen . We have to get her back and defend our honor. We will finish the council tonight."

"Attack!" Klaus said in a low and dangerous tone.

* * *

Elena was surrounded by flames but her magic kept them at bay. She didn't know how she conjured them but now she was afraid. She tried to think of a spell to stop them. But nothing came to her mind. Her one week old daughter kept crying, troubled by the smoke in the room.

She ran toward one end of corridor, looking for exit. The blazing fire kept following her trial. The thick, acrid smell of smoke filled the room and stung her eyes, making it hard for her to see. She covered her daughter's face with a blanket and ran down the hall. There was a door that she was sure lead to the upper floor exit but it was jammed.

* * *

The vicious battle was going on. The Ripper and Original vampires had attacked the council vampires. The council vampires were surprised by the attack but they fought back just as furiously. Tearing through the army of council vampires, Damon rushed to the council building. The ground beneath him shook, violently.

"What the hell is happening here?" He demanded his witch friend.

"Elena is channeling her true power. Unlike us, she doesn't have to draw power from moon. The magic is in her blood. Unfortunately she can't control it." Bonnie murmured, holding her mate's hand. Enzo looked at her worriedly. Since Originals were all here he didn't have to stay back.

"Ripper!" Klaus called him. "That building is about to collapse. You have to get her out of there. I'll make sure none of them comes inside."

He nodded and vamp sped to the stairs of the building. "Stefan!" he said once and the next second his brother appeared. "You'll search the upper floors, I'll look for her in basement." He ordered.

"Right!" Stefan agreed and zoomed inside.

"Bonnie! Can you put out the fire?" Damon asked his best friend.

"I will try." Bonnie said as she started chanting something.

"I can't do this." She replied. "This is dark magic."

"How is this possible?" He said, look at the dark cloud of smoke that now covered the surrounding of the building, making it impossible for anyone to see. "Elena doesn't practice dark magic…"

"She doesn't" Kai replied. "It's in her blood. Petrova's were known for practicing dark magic. Klaus's mother Esther was a Petrova too. Dark magic is in Elena's blood. That's why her power so dangerous. It's unstoppable."

He cursed under breath as he folded his sleeves, preparing to enter. Elena's whispers reached him. She called for him. She was hopeless and trapped. She was afraid for Abby's life. Her whimpers were triggering his demon again. His demon wanted to save his mate. It wanted to hide Elena in its arm, away from the rest of the world. It wanted to take away Abby and his mate and run away from this world full of hatred to a place where neither Council or the Rippers nor Originals could find them.

"I'll try to hold the building up but please hurry." Bonnie added.

"Okay," he nodded, focusing to hear his mate's heartbeat but the noise outside made it impossible to reach her. He sped through the brutal flames to the basement. He was going down the hall when he heard her scream, pleading someone to leave her.

" _Please… I have a newborn. She needs me. Please don't hurt me."_

He felt all sanity slip from him. He had been pushing back his instincts all day but his demon had enough. It couldn't bear the pain and desperateness in its mate's voice. It had been away from her for two weeks. It couldn't last any longer without having her secure in its arms. His teeth sprung out of his gums. His eyes turned black. His mind was numb with rage. He will kill anyone that would come between him and his mate.

* * *

She was gasping to breathe as she ran down the hall, somehow she felt as if someone was following her. She nearly shouted as she noticed the sea of fire covering the stairs. How was she supposed to go down now? She looked at her daughter. "Abby? Baby stay with me. Mommy will save you. Baby, please stay with me." She assured her crying daughter. The killer smoke was making it hard for Abby to breath.

She hurtled through the door to a room which was considerably free of smoke. The walls kept shaking, threatening to fall down any minute.

She covered her daughter in blanket and ran inside. She closed her eyes, breathing fast. From a distance she heard someone call her name. Fearing it were one of the council members, she hid behind the tall table.

"Elena?" she heard Stefan's voice.

"Stefan!" she called, relieved that he was here. It meant her mate was here too. She would soon be in his arms.

"Oh! Thank God, you're okay." He sighed in relief, zooming toward her but before he could reach suddenly Lord Silas appeared out of nowhere and pushed him back. Stefan's head slammed with wall. He fell, shouting in pain.

"I've been looking for you, Hybrid girl."

"Don't" Stefan begged as smirking vampire stepped toward Elena. "Please!" Elena begged, stepping back. "I have a newborn. She needs me. Please don't hurt me."

"You and your child is an abomination, girl. I cannot allow you to live." The vampire said coldly. He took out a dagger from his pocket. She tried to take a step back but was trapped between him and the wall. The man raised the dagger to plunge it in her chest when suddenly he gasped and stood still. Blood poured out of his chest. Elena's eyes trailed down and saw a hole in his chest as if someone has pulled his heart out. The lifeless man fell on the ground, turning gray. She looked up and found her mate, growling at the dead vampire, in his demon form. Somehow, she wasn't afraid of him even if he was in his vampire state. She hurriedly ran to him, circling an arm around him. Now, she knew she was safe.

* * *

"How is that possible?" Lord Branston growled. "Rippers and Originals attacked together."

"It's like what they say, an enemy's enemy is friend." Kol said, circling him.

"Stay back, Kol." Lord Hummel warned. "You don't know who you're messing with."

He turned around and found himself facing a seething Klaus, glaring at him. "You dare threaten my brother?" he spat.

"Nicklaus!" Hummel stammered. "I didn't mean it like that… let's have a civil conversation. We can settle this."

"The time of conversation was long gone when you took my sister to council, when you touched her without my permission. How dare you? All of you?"

"We were informed by none other than your own sister? Klaus" Lord Augustine said. "Our concerns regarding her are valid since we know you personally."

"You wanted to destroy us, Nicklaus" Lord Branston said. "That's why you created the girl."

"I did." Klaus turned cocked his head, smiling like a manic. "and she is going to destroy you. Look at what she did to your precious town. That's my power Branston." He said, stepping toward the old vampire.

"We are aware you plan to build a hybrid army out of the girl and the child's blood. You should know that we will never let that happen." Lady Anna said, motioning her guard vampires to circle Original vampires.

"Did you forget how you were begging for life a thousand years ago? We were merciful. We let you live and this is how you repay us? By conspiring against us?" Lord Branston said.

"You owe your life to us, you diminutive creature." He added. "How dare you think you could exceed in powe—"

"Hold your tongue, Branston." Klaus growled in blind anger. "You see that girl in there." He pointed to the building. "She is sired to me. Her power is more than all your witches combined. I can make her destroy all of you."

"You know what your problem is Nicklaus? You always underestimate your rivals" Branston said as he signaled his witches. Klaus fell on the floor in instant, holding his head with both hands shouting.

Kol attacked one of the witches but with a flick of finger he was thrown back on the ground.

"Bring the vervain chains." Lady Anna shouted. "Tie them up while I go deal with the Rippers. Let's finish both of these clans once and for all."

Klaus tried to fight the blinding pain. He gritted his teeth and flashed before a witch, pulling her heart out. Suddenly, a group of vampires pummeled him to the ground, he felt them tying vervain chains to his wrists and neck. A vampire jerked the chain around his neck so hard that he fell on the floor, gasping to breath. They tugged at the chains again, pulling him up. His skin burned wherever the chains touched. As the witches chanted louder, the nerves in his head started to burst, making him helpless.

"Can you feel her?" Branston asked one of his witch. She nodded, obediently. "This is destruction will only stop if she dies. I want you to freeze her heart, stop it from beating." He ordered.

"Indeed." The witch closed her eyes and concentrated.

* * *

Damon captured her hand, trapped it against his cheek and felt the soothing calm fill him. He met her gaze, and the tightness across his chest eased. She was a healer. "Damon!" she murmured to acknowledge she was here.

The dark blood shot eyes of his started to normalize and the pulsating veins under the sockets disappeared. His once threatening, predator eyes turned to very glassy shade of blue showing longing, a lover's mourning over her pain and finally his blazing love for her.

"Elena "he murmured as if her name was the only thing he knew.

"You're okay " he said more to himself than her and took a step forward to kiss her forehead .

She nodded "I am okay, Thank God you're here."

He kissed her forehead again "Yes, you're safe now." he looked down at his crying baby, and gently took her from Elena .

"Oh God!" he said as he took his daughter from her. "Is she okay?"

"The smoke is dangerous to lungs. We have to get her to hospital." Elena said, sobbing. "She will be fine…We will be fine." He replied cupping one side of her face.

"I'll take her." Stefan offered, and he wasn't just requesting. Stefan added " You bring Elena."

"Hurry up, Bonnie can't keep the building up for long." Damon said as he handed his daughter to his brother.

"We can give her our blood." Stefan suggested.

"No" Elena and Damon almost said at once. "That's far too dangerous. We can't risk things we don't know about " He added.

"Take her to Dr. Lisa, our witch doctor. She will know what to do" Elena said hurriedly.

Stefan cradled her in his arms. He has always loved children. Abby was the reason he accepted Elena in the first place. He brought her closer and hugged her to his chest "Don't worry, Abby. Your uncle is here now baby, he won't let anything harm you." he flashed away with her.

They both sighed with relief. Damon scooped her in his arms and flashed out of the place. She held on to him for life. They had just left the building when she stopped him "Wait! Damon, wait!"

He stopped parting her from his neck to see her "what's wrong ?'"

She pointed to a side" Bonnie! She needs help! "

He looked towards where she was pointing, Bonnie was on her knees holding her head in her hands. Where was her mate? Anyone could kill her. He had to get her away from the battle ground.

He cursed and ran to a safe corner putting Elena on the ground gently"I'll get help, I'll be right back, don't move. "

She nodded; he quickly pecked her once repeating "Stay here!"

He ran to Bonnie and picked her up , her nose was bleeding. Petrova magic was heavy for her. She couldn't fight it longer.

"Bonnie, its okay. Let it go, we are out ,"

She nodded "Damon it's too much, I think I'll faint."

He shook his head, picking her up.

He ran towards where they had parked their car. He found Enzo fighting a council vampire with the help of a wolf. They tore his head off. He turned around and zoomed to them.

"Is she okay?I got a vibe." Enzo approached him anxiously .

Damon carefully gave her in his arms "You take care of her, I'll be right back with Elena."

He nodded, Damon rushed back, something scared him from the inside, what if she wasn't there where he left her? He had a bad feeling. Something was terribly wrong. But as soon as he reached the place he breathed out in relief, she was there with her arms around her knees locking them close to her body, sitting down with her head down , he sighed , for once the universe was in his favor.

He ran to her and landed near her, sitting on one knee next to her, as he softly patted her head "Baby Vamp? "

With a sharp breath she looked up from her knees, a muffled cry "Damon?"

His eyes widened in fear as he looked at her face. She looked pale as sheet. Her hair covering her face from him. Something was terribly wrong with her.

"I… I can't breathe."

His hands trembled on her face, tucking her sweaty locks behind her ear. His fear grew more as he saw blood leaking from the corner of her eyes.

He hissed. "What the hell?"

The surrounding of those brown orbs had turned dark and the corners teared thick blood. She was writhing in pain, twisting her head and rubbing her hands over her body as if someone had set her on fire.

Before he could do anything, she started taking sharp inhales, shuddering , gagging , coughing .

He held her firmly "Elena, hey what's wrong? Look at me , Elena!"

She shivered choking on words "I can't bb..br… breathe "

He shook his head as her head fell back , he cupped the back of her head , making her look at him , tapping her face with the other hand. Dread took over him because he felt her pain too. It was increasing every second… almost to the point where it couldn't be tolerated. It reminded him of pain of death… No!

"No! NO! You can't go, Look at me! Elena stay with me. Don't you dare leave me! "

She arched her body up as if a chill ran through her "Ahh! "he could see a lump forming in her throat, and the veins in her neck pulsating.

He quickly tore off his wrist connecting it to her mouth, the blood fell through the corners, she wasn't accepting. He sealed his mouth on hers, trying to help her breath but it didn't help.

"What's happening? I don't understand."He looked anxiously all over her trembling body.

"Elena please stay with me, please" his eyes filled in tears as he shook her to stay conscious.

Her chest heaved with each breath , she was quivering in his arms ,she tried to speak through the sharp thing in her throat "D-Damon "

He nodded holding her closer.

She gulped as more blood poured from her eyes, through the sharp pain, she rose her shaking hand to touch his face "D…Damon"

The life from her eyes were fading. He shook his head trapping her hand on his cheek , pressing his lips to her palm "No, no baby please "

She swallowed again, squeezing her eyes shut to contain the pain ,on opening them more blood trailed down, her hand shakenly wiped the tears under his eyes "Abb…by, Tak…take c…care of her "

He interrupted "Elena please…please, don't do this, wait I'll take you to "

She choked through pain. "I… I think… I'm dying. This… is it.!"

"No. No." He shook his head. "You're not."

He heard her take a sharp breath and her body arched upwards, she cupped his face, her fingers shivering as they wiped his tears "look at… at me ahhh "

He opened his weary, teary eyes holding one of her hands pressing his lips to it.

Her other hand was wiping his continuous trail of tears "I… I lo…love you so much." She said looking deep in his eyes.

He dug his face in her shoulder and broke down as he hugged her close to him "Breathe! Just breathe for me… for Abby."

She moaned in pain trying to stay awake but it was too much. She couldn't fight it anymore.

He cradled her in his arms, pulling her close to his body, murmuring her to breathe for him, stay alive for him. Her heartbeat started to slow. Blood in form of tears was rolling down her cheeks. Her breathing became slower, harsher until her face slackened and her head rolled back against his arm as she took one last breath and stilled. The life from her beautiful eyes faded. She fell completely limp and cold in his arms.

He knew she was gone because he couldn't feel her heartbeat anymore. The world seemed to collapse and wept with him.

* * *

"It's done!" The witch said with a satisfied smile. "The hybrid girl is dead."

"No!" Klaus moaned through pain. He failed her again. There was no redemption for him anymore. He destroyed his family in his greed. He ruined everything. His mother, his mate and his sister died because of him. Guilt rushed to him, drowning him in a pool of hopelessness.

"Now let's get rid of them." Lord Branston said, smirking. He took out a sharp white oak stake. "I've been saving this for too long."

Klaus closed his eyes in surrender. So this was the end of the Original chief. A part of him was scared that he would never attain peace and reunite with his loved ones in after life because of his deeds. He would never reunite with his true love—his Caroline.

Before Lord Branston could plunge the stake in his chest, a blonde girl flashed, staking the older chief in heart. Lord Branston fell on his knees, gasping. "Never. Touch. My. Brother. Again." She growled.

The sudden attack broke the concentration of the witches but that one second was enough. Klaus and Kol flashed around, tearing their hearts out, snapping their necks.

"Are you okay?" Rebekah asked, concerned. She was back. His sister was back. He stepped toward her and enveloped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry." He begged.

Rebekah was startled by his reaction. She circled an arm around him, surprised. "I ruined your life. It's my fault he is dead. I feel your pain now. I'm so sorry for what I did to you and Hon—" His words were left unsaid as soon as he remembered what the witch had said a few moments ago. "Honey!" he choked, pulling away.

"What?" Rebekah said, afraid. "What happened to her? Where is she?"

* * *

He was still holding her in his arms, what did he had to fight for now anyway, he lost everything. He was stroking her dead, cold face. Tears rolled down his eyes falling on her, he felt like someone has ripped his heart out, he felt dead, cold hollowness in him. He was lost. It was like someone has set him on fire. Every second increased the pain.

He was almost panting as if he had run miles.

He rest his head on her shoulder "I can't breathe, Elena, wake up, it hurts!"

He felt a void spreading and eating his heart. He heard many footsteps but he wasn't ready to let go right now

"What happened?" Klaus demanded.

"Go away, don't come close to us " he held her close "This is all your fault. You fucking power hungry bastard."

Klaus didn't take the warning and stepped toward them. Damon felt utter madness. What did they want with her now? His fangs spurted out of his gums. "GO AWAY!" he growled.

He protectively held her. "They're going "he murmured to her as if she could hear him. His mate's loss had numbed his sanity. His demon didn't want anything close to her now. He hid his face in her chest.

Klaus's eyes went glassy, he slowly approached a trembling hand to touch her fell hand, and it was cold, stiff. He couldn't hear the sound of heartbeat. He slowly touched her cold stiff face and flinched.

He could easily remember the first time he had held her hand , those little soft fingers tracing his features, her wide open eyes fascinated to see her big brother were out of light now, her rosy puffy cheeks were pale now. He suffered a lot of pain but the pain of losing a child was most agonizing. He felt a part of him dead. _This is my fault_. He thought.

"My child!" he choked on words, Damon pushed his hand off as he tried to reach for her face "Get your filthy hands away from my Elena. You can take everything now, Mystic falls, Arran town. Every fucking thing. Just leave us alone."

When Kol tried to get closer to them, he growled, warning them bot away.

Klaus added with a gulp "She's dead."

"DON'T YOU DARE" he growled hugging her again "She…she was really tired, she told me that"

"Damon "Kol took a step ahead "SHE"S NOT DEAD " he shouted louder, he turned his face to her cupping it "You're not dead, you're not dead " he broke into sobs.

He felt his best friend's hand on him. Bonnie kept murmuring comfort but he didn't care. "Why won't she wake up? Bon."

"You have to accept it." She choked. "She's…"

"No!" He refused. "She isn't"

"Not yet" they heard another voice which made bot Damon and Klaus look up. Kai sighed walking towards them "There is a way."

Klaus got up from his knees"What!"

Kai nodded "They used magic to stop her heart" Kai said. "I can revive her". Damon eyes widened "I won't let you people do anything to my Elena anymore. You've played with my mate enough/"

Klaus clenched his fists and walked back to him holding him by the elbow." He says he can bring her back. Snap out of it and cooperate."

"Don't touch me." He hissed pushing him away.

"We want to help."

"Don't pretend that you care about her." He hissed. "You only want the magic in her blood that's what she is worth to you."

Before Damon could say another word ,Klaus growled "I ONLY WANT MY SISTER BACK AND RIGHT NOW SHE IS DEAD, FACE IT "

Klaus turned his face to Elena "See she's pale, stiff, cold and soul less ,don't you want your Elena back or do you want to spend the rest for eternity mourning over her dead body?"

Damon inhaled sharp, his eyes still watery.

"The spell requires three things, Petrova blood, a witch and a sacrifice of selfless love." Kai said.

"I am ready to take part in ritual." Bonnie said before he could even ask.

Klaus quickly sat down next to Elena's body holding her up "I'll save you baby ,you won't hate me forever, you don't know how sorry I am , but you will, I love you little angel." he kissed her forehead

Dropping her slowly on the ground, closing her eyes by running his hand over the stiffened lids. He would bring her back even if he had to die for her.

"What happens in this spell?" Bonnie demanded.

"Basically in this spell, the one who sacrifices himself for Elena, their heart would stop beating and Elena's would revive." Everyone looked at one another, the only person while Elena's mate kept staring at her lifeless body.

"We already covered Petrova blood and a powerful witch… now for the sacrifice. Who is willing to sacrifice themselves to complete the ritual." Kai said with a sigh.

"I will." Elena's mate said immediately, like it was one thing in life he wouldn't think twice about.

"What's the point then?" Kai asked, narrow eyed "You won't get to live with her."

"I've lived my life in this one year with her while she barely lived hers. I can die for her. That'll make my life worth something" he replied.

"No…" Klaus interrupted adding "If anyone should give sacrifice it should be me."

Damon bit on his cheek "you should just-"

Klaus shook his head "I'm not asking for your permission. She was my sister first before she was your mate. I can't let my sister live a life grieving over her mate. I've seen that before." he looked at the quiet, regretful Rebekah adding "She deserves happiness and if this changes Elena's view about her power hungry brother I will do it in a heartbeat. "

Kai sighed "So its decided?"

Klaus nodded before anyone else could interrupt him "Yes!" he went towards Elena and Bonnie too.

Klaus held Elena's hand and looked up at Kol and Rebekah mouthing an 'I love you'.

Rebekah cupped her mouth choking sobs and Kol too swallowed thick but neither stopped him.

"Lie down next to Elena holding her hand " Kai instructed. He made a slight cut in Bonnie's wrist making her hold it over Klaus and Elena's linked hands.

He started chanting something, and when Bonnie's blood fell on their hands it caused a big light the river of light Klaus looked at Elena "I love you little sister, I hope you forgive me." He closed his eyes and felt a sharp pain, disconnecting him from the world, leading him to the white river of light.

As the storm stopped and the stream of light faded away, they all see Klaus desiccating, turning gray and a heartbeat could be heard in the neighboring body.

* * *

 _The music started. Rebekah was walking down the aisle, holding Michael's arm. Elena was watching it from a distance. She watched her three year old self playing with her older brother. She narrowed her eyes as she walked around. Was this a memory?_

 _"Doesn't she look beautiful?" Elena got interrupted from watching Rebekah walking down the aisle, she turned back to see, her brother, her father figure, Klaus. He was looking at her with so much love, just like he used too._

 _"Very much." She admitted._

 _It was as if she was an alternative universe of memories and dreams. Everything around was the same, Kol was flirting with the unmarried squad. Isobel was judging the fashion. Her younger self was quizzing Klaus about the concept of marriage while he patiently answered. The older, bruised version of Klaus stepped close to her, drapping an arm around her waist._

 _"But my dear Elena when you get married I just know that you'll look like a queen "Klaus said kissing the top of her head. "Sadly I can't walk you down the aisle like I promised." He added, looking down._

 _"What is this? Where are we?"_

 _"In a universe in between life and death. You're in my most cherished memory with my family. I wanted to see you one last time."_

 _"What?" She stammered. "Last time?" she swallowed._

 _"but that doesn't mean I'm leaving you. If you ever feel down and want to talk to me, you can name a glorious star after me and be rest assured that I'll be listening."_

 _"I don't understand." She shook her head._

 _"They froze your heart, Elena." Klaus explained tormented. "And it's all because of me, my selfishness, my greediness."_

 _"Oh no!" She murmured. Was she dead? Is that why she was here? Her heart broke at the thought of separating from her mate and her daughter. Who will take care of them now?_

 _"but… don't worry. I'll reunite you with your family." He added, hurriedly._

 _"but I'm dead…"_

 _"There is way, Honey. The warlock of Gemini coven knows a spell that will revive your heart. Your heart will start beating again soon. You'll live a long happy life. I promise you." He cupped her face._

 _"Why are you here then?" She asked,narrowing her eyes._

 _"The spell requires a sacrifice of selfless love." He said, hesitantly. "In order to revive your heart, my heart needs to be frozen."_

 _Tears welled up in her eyes. She pursed her lips "Why?" she was clearly signaling to his sacrifice._

 _"Forgiveness, I wanted to win your love back, yours, Kol, Rebekah, I had been a selfish man "he said slowly. "I lost you all in my madness for power. Even my mate." He added, sadly._

 _"No…" She choked. "Caroline… she…"_

 _"I hope to see her though." He said, his voice breaking. "If you forgive me I'll reach peace. I'll see her again." He said, hopefully. "I'm sorry for everything I put you all through. I'm sorry that I didn't understand your love. I hope that someday… you and the Ripper… Damon would forgive me for all that I did to you."_

 _She shook her head, holding his hands. "Don't… "_

 _He wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks "I am not scared or upset about it. I am going to find her now, and I'll tell her, how I reunited you with your family and she'll forgive me. I'm sure. "_

 _Elena nodded, choking her sobs. She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him like she used to when she was a child. From a distance she could hear her three year old self telling him how she loved him the most in world. "I… I forgive you, Nick."_

 _He sighed "Thank you, Elena. I know I don't deserve this but I need it."_

 _He cupped her face, kissing her forehead "Now go, everyone is waiting, I cringe saying this but, he is the very best for you. He loves you a lot. I wish you two every happiness in the world."_

 _She gave a light laugh as he strokes her face "Go, live your eternity with him and your Abigail, your family."_

 _They parted. He stepped back. "Nick…" Elena's heart began to drop. "I'll miss you. I'll never forget our memories." She stepped toward him as he stepped back._

 _"Well I guess that makes me immortal than." he smiled._

 _"I love you, Nick."_

 _"I love you too little sister"_

 _He ran his hands through her hair messing it up just like he used to when she was a child. The distance between them started to increase as he began to step back. She wanted to reach to him, hold her brother one last time but a blinding flash of light parted them. He was gone._

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open. She found herself in her bedroom. This was her mate's house. She oddly felt rested. It was as if she had slept for a long time. She rose up, rubbing her eyes, trying to remember last night or-the last time she was awake.

She could feel her mate's gloomy emotions. There was so much desperateness and sadness in him. What happened? Where was he anyway? She tried to reach out to him through blood bond. Her mind opened to him, whispering, calling for her mate.

Before she could even move, he vamp sped through door, standing at the end of the bed, staring at her as if she was a dream. She was puzzled as he stepped closer, afraid. Very hesitantly, he came close to her and cupped her face, looking at her eyes. He broke out into the happiest smile he ever smiled. "You're really awake."

"Yes." She replied, puzzled.

He moved so fast he was almost a blur, and she found herself wrapped in his arms, his face buried in her hair. "Elena, baby. Thank God!" he murmured, pulling her even more closer, protectively.

His enthusiasm surprised her. She wrapped her arms around him, savoring the closeness.

"You've been sleeping for weeks." He murmured, his voice tormented. "I thought I lost you."

"For weeks?"

"I have never been so scared." He confessed, pulling back. "We were so worried. They said the spell put you in an enchanted sleep. We tried everything but you wouldn't wake up." He said, running his fingers through her hair.

"and I thought I would never see life in these eyes again." he said looking deep in her eyes and getting lost in their warm color. There was so much vulnerability in his tone as if he was afraid this was all just a dream. She wanted to erase the anguish in his eyes. She had to assure him she was awake and safe and she knew just how.

She cradled his face in her hands tenderly before she pressed her lips to his. They parted the next second, looking at each other. He pulled her closer ,nuzzling for another kiss, demanding more. Their lips melded together again. It had been a long time without each other, and their lips seemed to know it too. They kissed each other hungrily, trying to savor everything at once before he suddenly pulled back.

"As much as I would love this to continue, you just woke up and you need to feed." He reminded.

"Wait!" Elena said before he could tear the skin of his wrist. "Abby! Where is Abby?"

"She is with Stefan and Rebekah…" He said.

"Rebekah?" Elena said, puzzled.

"Yes!" He said, hesitant. "She refused to go back until you woke up. She had been helping us with Abby. Don't worry, her humanity is back on and believe me she is an expert with children. We should actually consider hiring her as Abby's nanny…"

"How did Nick allow—" she trailed off as she remembered the conversation with her brother in her enchanted dream. Tears welled up in her eyes as grief of losing a sibling hit her.

Damon looked at his mate with anguish. He pulled her in his arms, comforting her with everything that he could offer. He hated seeing tears in her eyes. But he let her cry this time. He picked her up and carried her to bed.

"He did it for you, Elena." He whispered, running his fingers through her hair as she snuggled closer to him. Their legs were tangled, his hands around her waist, pulling her even more closer as they lay on bed. "He wanted your forgiveness for everything he put us through. He did it for redemption. This was the only way he thought he could attain peace so he could reunite with his mate."

She whimpered, her body shook in his arms as she sobbed. "We met you know. It was Rebekah's wedding. He told me it was his most cherished memory with me." She said, looking up at him with tear filled eyes. "I did forgive him."

A moment of silence followed as she dug her face in the crook of his neck. He was her peace. His touch helped numbed the pain of the loss of the brother she dearly loved.

Awhile later when she had considerably calmed down, he told her things that she had missed. "Kol is the new chief of Originals. We had a meeting last week. We finalized a treaty of peace."

Her eyes snapped, open. She couldn't believe on her ears. She looked up at him with awe. "We have lost a lot of friends because of this animosity. It's time everyone moved on. Kol's words not mine." He said with a soft smile. He knew nothing could make her happier than this. Now she will have both her families. She won't have to choose.

"I agree," He said, dropping a kiss on her head.

"But the wolves and witches?" She asked, uncertainly. Were they fine with this union?

"The wolves and the witches didn't have problem with Originals as a whole. Their hatred was for… former chief" He added, hesitantly knowing how sensitive she was regarding her late brother.

She nodded, understandingly. Not everyone could forgive Klaus for what he did to them. She looked down, tears welling in her eyes again at that thought.

He leant forward and with his finger he lifted her chin. "Look at me," he said.

"Everything is fine now. We are together and nothing, no one can come between us anymore." He said. "And I better not see any tears of sadness in these beautiful eyes." He added, wiping her tears.

She nodded, smiling.

"And what's this?" He took her hand, looking at the gold band in her finger. "Elijah Smith?" He read the scribble on her ring, glaring at her.

"I… I lost your ring" She said as if afraid of his reaction.

He rolled his eyes, taking off the ring from her hand as if it disgusts him. He uncurled his arm around her and reached for the side table, taking out the emerald ring. "You're only mine." He said, possessively. "Don't you forget that." He added as he slid the ring on her finger, claiming her again.

Smiling he tilted his head down, capturing her mouth as she leaned in to him, twining her arms around his neck, unable to help herself as her hands began to play with his thick, black hair, reveling in pleasurable sensation. The kiss was warm, a mutual celebration that they won. Nothing could part them from each other not even death.

After kissing each other senseless they pulled back, gasping to breath. His hands traveled up her body, savoring the feel of her next to him. "I miss it." He said, pouting.

"huh!"

"The pregnancy body." He said as if it was obvious. "What?" She said, puzzled.

"I want you to stay pregnant forever." He said, smirking. "Now after Abby. I want to have another right away."

"Whoa...let's just take it one day at a time." She said, wide eyed.

"Of course." He said, pulling her on top of him. "I did promise you forever."

* * *

 **ANNOUNCEMENT!**

 **So there is a surprise. There is one chapter left where Damon, the Ripper goes to meet Elena's 'Original parents' to ask for her hand like an old fashioned gentleman. (Not gonna lie! Her family still doesn't like him much) There's going to be a bachelor party and a wedding with lots of banter and fun. I'll be posting that chapter by Thursday if you still are interested. That chapter will be dedicated to you all!  
**

 **Thank you so much for supporting me throughout this story. I hoped you liked the ending. I tried really really hard.**

 **Please leave me a review. It would mean so much to me. (Whenever you read this) And if you've been a silent follower and you haven't reviewed till now this is a good time to review because you don't know how much it means to writers!  
**

 **Thank you guest reviewers and all regulars!**

 **Also Mia! If you're reading this I hope you're fine. I saw your review on TS and I'm really worried. If you want to talk you can contact me on my twitter or just PM me on fanfic.**

 **THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

 **Have a nice week and please stay safe!**


	34. A King only bows down to his Queen

Chapter 33 " **A King only bows down to his Queen."**

* * *

 **Dedicated to all of you. Everyone who had been with me from the start. Thank you so much**

* * *

Her siblings always told her never to cross the border. The vampires on the other side were very cruel especially their chief. The Ripper chief. He was known for his viciousness, cruelty and obsessiveness. If he ever found out that an Original vampire was in his territory, she could only imagine what he would do to her.

But today, she was feeling adventurous. She crossed the border to explore the forbidden side of Mystic Falls. She was sure no one would recognize her. She was roaming around the forest, near the Lockwood cellars when she heard the sound of footsteps. It was very faint but she still picked it. She gulped, afraid. What if they find out she crossed the border? What if the Ripper chief finds out?

She was just thinking about that when she heard the rustling of the leaves again. Her heart started pounding against her chest violently. She looked around, trying to find the source but couldn't find anyone.

She gulped, audibly and decided to head back to her part of the town. Staying here was too dangerous. She just turned around to leave when she felt a gush of wind pass her. She looked around, horrified now. What had she done? She shouldn't have crossed the boundary. Suddenly something soft brushed her face as if somebody had just touched it very gently. She shuddered turning around. This was just her imagination. No one was here. She was telling herself that when she felt a hot breath on the back of her neck as if there was someone very near her. She turned around, immediately and found a pair of striking blue eyes staring back at her intensely. He smiled, cocking his head to the side quizzically.

"Hello Baby Vamp!" He said.

She didn't answer instead she sped away from him. He flashed in front of her, smirking. "An original vampire, huh!"

She took a few steps back and sped in another direction but he zoomed in front of her, blocking her path. "Do you know what we, Rippers, do to pretty Original girls when they cross the border?" He asked, stepping toward her.

"Please…Please… don't hurt me." She begged, stepping back.

"What's your name?" He demanded, he started stepping toward her like a lion stalking his prey, she stepped back reflexively until her back hit the bark of the tree, her breath hitching when she saw a smirk on his face. His hands came up to press against the tree on both sides of her head.

"Elena Michelson" She breathed, shivering.

He ran his fingers through her silky hair, twirling her lush curls, and easing her closer. "So what is a Michelson doing in my territory?" He asked, looking deep into her honey eyes. His territory… that meant he was the Ripper chief. Oh God!

"I just came to visit." She choked.

"You're not allowed to step in my territory, Beautiful." He said in a soft voice, verging on a whisper, the dangerous tone of seduction. Her shyness boiled over. "That's grounds for punishment." He added, his hands roamed down her arms, his fingers lightly grazing the sides of her breasts.

"Are you… Are you flirting with me?" She asked, puzzled as he pressed himself against her.

"Baby, this isn't flirting." He said, his lips touching her temple. "This is foreplay." He said, confidently.

"Please…" she thrashed.

"Wh… what are you doing?" She asked, hiding the want in her voice.

"Taking what I want." He replied, his hands cupping her ass. "Surely, you knew the consequences of crossing the border."

"I have a mate. He wouldn't like this. Please, leave me." She begged, thrashing to free herself.

"No, I like you. I'm keeping you. Your mate can find someone else for him." He whispered, his lips tenderly kissed her below her ear, down to her neck then his tongue traced her collarbone and tasted the hollow of her throat. "You're mine, Baby."

"Please…" She begged. Oh, he was really getting her riled up as he slowly, so achingly slowly lowered, nuzzeling her breasts, his tongue dipping into her cleavage exposed by the deep V in her dress. "This is not right, please."

She wanted him. But this was wrong. She was an Original. She couldn't possibly let a Ripper touch her so intimately. Especially not the Ripper chief. He kissed his way up to her ear.

"Don't hold back, Baby Vamp." He whispered. "Let it go." He added, trying to convince her to commit the sin she was trying very hard against.

The spark of mischief in her warm eyes flickered and ceased that night. "Okay." She murmured, giving in to him. A smirk played on his lips. Finally!

He eased closer, delighted when her hands caressed his chest. He tilted his head to the side, catching her eye as he leaned closer. Her face had the same longing look for him like he had for her. Their lips hovered an inch apart, and just before their lips could touch, she pushed him with all her force and vamp sped away.

For a second, he just stood there, shocked before he growled and followed after her. "There is no point in running." He said as he zoomed after her.

Out of breath, adrenaline waning, she took refuge behind the trunk of a tall tree, leaning against it, gasping for breath.

"Fine! Let's have it your way. But when I find you, be rest assured that you're not going anywhere after that." She heard him warn.

She peeked to look where he was. Her eyes narrowed when she couldn't find him. She just turned back, when she found his face inches away from hers. She nearly screamed and turned to run but he grasped her wrists and pinned over either side of her head.

"Now… Where were we?"

"Listen, I'm really sorry that I broke the rules and crossed the border. But please, don't do this. My family will never approve of this." She begged.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked, smirking.

"I know. You're the Ripper chief. Damon Salvatore." She choked.

"Then you must also know that I don't care what your family approves and what they don't approve. All I know is that I want to rip your clothes, bend you over, fuck you senseless and make you scream my name so loud that you forget yours." he whispered seductively in her ear, his want and longing seeping in his tone.

"I… I… we can't." She stammered.

"We will…"The heat and power radiating from him brushed over her skin.

"Chief, I think," she moistened her lips and heard him groan. Looking at him, she realized his eyes were fixed on her lips which naturally caused her to look at his. They looked very inviting and they were only inches away. His grip on her wrists loosened as he got distracted. It was her one chance. She used all the force her half vampire form provided her and pulled herself out of his grasp. She didn't waste time and zoomed toward the border that marked her territory.

He was right behind her, but this time she was lucky. She managed to cross the border just in time before he could catch her. She turned around, smirking as she found him glaring at her from the invincible line that stopped him from entering Original's side of Mystic Falls without permission from their chief Kol Michelson.

"Hah!" She said, proudly as she turned around. "Ripper chief! Not so strong after all." She mocked.

"Get back here, young vampire." He demanded, glaring at her.

"Make me!" She replied, amused at his helplessness.

"Ma'am!" One of the Original guard vampire rushed to her. "Are you okay? What…"

"It's nothing, Carlos!" She replied, her eyes still on the Ripper chief looking at her, dangerously. "I'm sure Kol must be waiting for me. Let's go."

"Yes, Ma'am!" he said, bowing down.

"You're making a big mistake, Baby Vamp. It's not good to play games with a very dangerous vampire."

"Whatever." She replied, carelessly.

"When I get my hands on you, so help me God—"

"I'm going to stop you right there, Ripper Chief." She said, turning around. "This is my brother's Mystic Falls. I dare you to reach me and I'll give you what you want so much." She said in a husky tone.

"I'm coming to get you, Elena Michelson. So you better be ready for me. You're going to be mine tonight and there isn't a damn thing anyone can do to stop me."

"Only in your dreams." She replied, chuckling. She turned around fast, her long hair swung out around her face, shining in the moonlight.

"Baby vamp!" She stopped on her tracks, turning around slightly. "This isn't over!" He said, folding his arms on his chest, frowning.

"I'm counting on that!" She replied, smirking.

His gaze dropped to her behind as she hurried away from him and he had to admire the sway of her hips.

* * *

She was lying on her bed in her apartment alone. She wasn't afraid though. Kol's house was close by and this was his territory. No one in their right mind could touch her and her precious bundle of joy unless they had a death wish. Also, her mate was very protective of her. He would destroy anyone who so much as look at her and Abby the wrong way. But still she felt like someone was watching her.

After making sure her three year old daughter Abigail was properly fed and sleeping in her room, she made her way to her room. Instantly, she jumped on bed and fell asleep, she had been too tired today.

It was the middle of night when she felt as if she couldn't move. It felt like she was bound to a bed. Her body was spread like a star, both wrists tied to the headboard and ankles tied to the corner posts. All she had on was her sheer nightgown that barely covered her thighs.

She realized she was blindfolded. She shook furiously as she tried to release herself from restraints. Terrified, she felt her heart pound furiously against her chest.

She heard the squeak of the bedroom door open and footsteps coming near. Her breathing fastened. She could feel the person standing close to her.

"I don't know what you want! But you better stay away from me!" She hissed.

The man laughed slightly as if he was enjoying her helplessness. She recognized the laugh from somewhere.

"Chief of Rippers!" She gasped. "but how?"

"I told you I'll find you." He whispered. "When I want something I get it…" He added. "I told you it's dangerous to play games with an older very frustrated vampire."

"Oh God!" She moaned when she felt his fingers trail down her naked thighs.

"Yeah, you can call me that." She just knew he was smirking when he said that.

"You'll regret this, Ripper." She warned. "Untie me now."

"I could do that but what would be the fun in that." He said, huskily.

She felt the pressure of the bed on both sides of her sink. He was hovering over her now.

She gulped, terrified and excited.

"You told me I could take what I want from you if I reach you. I kept my side of the bargain now you—"

"But I have a mate!" She interrupted.

"You obviously mistake me for someone who gives a shit." He said, coldly. "If it comes down to killing him to make you mine I would do it."

She felt her face get hot as he touched her sides. In a way though, she enjoyed how bold he was. But that didn't make it right. He was still the enemy and she couldn't allow him to touch her.

He stroked up her hips passed her stomach to the side of her breasts and then to her neck. His hands were warm. He moved both his hands up her arms slowly. He was teasing her, making her yearn for more.

She felt his hot breath against her neck and he bit her. A moan slipped out of her mouth. She could feel him, smirking against her neck, enjoying her vulnerable moans. She felt his breathing upon her chest as he ripped her night gown off till she was naked, only in her underwear. He slowly untied the blindfold and threw it away. Tense dark blue orbs stared back at her. She licked her lips as her eyes raked his naked body.

He was lost in looking at her too. He eyed her body as if it was a sculpture, admiring her beauty, the delicious handful mounds, the contrast of her nipples against her sun kissed skin, the rise and fall of her chest with each breathe.

"So beautiful." He murmured. His gaze locked with hers as he moved his hand slowly down her body. Eager, she pushed her bottom snug against his groin and swiveled her hips. This excited him even more and he groaned. He buried his head in her nape and licked the punctured wound he made a few moments ago. He slid both hands up her stomach and then covered her breasts, his thumbs brushing her nipples. She gasped and arched her back, excited now.

"You like that don't you? Original Princess." He murmured and she moaned in agreement. Her lips were aching for attention. If he didn't kiss her soon, she was going to break the restraints using her magic, push him to the floor and attack him!

Their lips brushed against each other, velvet-like, as their nostrils blew warm air. Before she could say anything, his lips claimed hers, in a deep and demanding kiss. She parted her lips for him and drew him inside, dueling lightly with her own tongue, tasting and tempting. He feasted on her lips like they were the best thing he'd ever tasted.

His lips left hers and trailed down her jawline, then moved to her ear, kissing it softly before his lips trailed down her neck. She gasped, looking at him as he traveled lower. With infinite slowness, he planted feathery kisses on her skin, inch by inch, as he reached her chest, stopping first at her right breast, nuzzling it and then sucking it into the moist cavern of his mouth. He moved to the left, sucking, biting gently, teasing with his teeth, while his hands were performing a torturous grazing motion to her torso. She thrashed under him, losing her senses. He laved her nipple with his tongue until she arched still more and whimpered his name over and over again.

After worshiping her breasts he continued his path down her belly, swirling his tongue around her navel, dipping in multiple times, sending shivers of pleasure throughout her body.

Slowly, he unlinked her legs from restraints before he moved to her core. By now she had forgotten everything. She didn't care if he was her enemy. All she knew was that she wanted him, right there in her core.

"God! You're so wet for me." He whispered roughly, his mouth only inches away from her aching center. His breath hit the lace of her underwear, sending delicious shiver through her body. She tried to push her hips close to him but he pinned her down, smirking. "You want my mouth, don't you baby vamp? You want my tongue buried deep in your pussy?" His words increased her ache for him.

"Tell me you want me?" He growled.

"Yes, I want it. I want you so bad." She whimpered.

"Fine, I'll give it to you. Because I want this too. I want your scent and taste of you all over my face." He hooked his finger in her underwear and slid it down.

He nuzzled her thighs open, his tongue going to work on her clit, circling sucking and pulling as it began to swell. He continued lapping at her before she started becoming wetter and wetter. His mouth continued its torment as she chanted his name like a prayer. She didn't know when unknowingly she released herself from her restraints and pulled his hair closer to her. And when an orgasm hit, splintering her body into a million pieces, she screamed his name again and bucked her hips upward, gasping to breath.

"Hush!" He said as if reminding her of someone. She knew who he was talking about, she nodded as she fight to breath.

"That's not supposed to happen." He said, looking at her free hands.

She leaned forward on her arms and tried to pull away from him before he swiftly crawled toward her and pinned her hands on either side of her head as if he meant to trap her there forever. "Problem solved!" He muttered.

She drank in the warmth of his breath as it mixed with hers, his heat burning against her sensitive skin, igniting her soul on fire. His swollen shaft pressed against her belly, teasing and tormenting her.

"I want to be buried deep inside you until it feels so good neither of us could think straight." He murmured, the tip of his length touching her rubbing against her folds but never going inside.

"but what do you want? Elena"

"I want…" She stammered as she moved underneath him, trying to get him inside her.

"You want what?"

"I want you… I want you inside me." She said, her eyes boring into his. "Deep inside." She added. "I want to feel you in me." She said, as she wiggled under him.

"Your wish my command." He murmured, smirking against her skin. She watched the emotions wash over his handsome face as he entered her, inch by inch, moan by moan, sigh by sigh. He paused, allowing them both to savor the sensation as long as possible. His eyes darkened as he gently pulled out of her before driving back into her with force.

With his both hands holding hers firmly above her head, he drove into her until all thought fled his mind and there was only her name on his lips in form of a primal moan. She panted, whimpered, cried, moaned his name, making all the weak sounds that spurred him on even more.

She couldn't even think coherently when he rolled her over bed until she was on top, without breaking their intimate connection. She put her hands on his chest, sitting up and started moving her hips back and forth until her head fell back, gasping and moaning. Lost in mindless lust, he watched her in rapt fascination as she rode him, with an unbridled passion. He could never get tired of this sight.

She slammed herself on him over and over again and reached to newer explosive heights till she could no longer control the tremors racing through her. He pulled her to his chest, rolled her over until he was on top of her again, her legs around him. He filled her over and over again. His thick shaft pulsated inside her with each thrust. She moaned, raking her nails against his back, connecting her lips to his.

This was his heaven. This is how everything should be. He thought. His mate in his arms, her lips against his and him cradled inside her.

"You're mine." He muttered against her lips.

She nodded, moaning as he thrust into her again, and promised him, "Yours. Only yours."

Their eyes locked on each other and that pushed them over the edge. With a moan of pleasure that turned into a deep animalistic growl, he filled her with a rush of hot semen.

He rested his forehead on hers, placing a kiss on her lips before dipping his head in the crook of her neck. "See what happens when you don't let me touch you for a week." He said, after he could breathe normally.

She chuckled, running her hands through hair on the nape of his neck.

"So, was it what you wanted? The crazy Ripper kidnaps the Original princess and punishes her for crossing the boundary?"

She snorted, "It was better than I expected."

"You're really crazy you know." He said, pulling back, checking her body for any signs of injury even though he had tried his best not to hurt her during their frantic want for each other.

"I am fine." She assured him. "I would have said the safe word if anything went wrong." She reminded him.

"It was amazing." She added, smiling. "You were amazing." She said, nipping on his neck. "But how did you get in here?"

"Rebekah helped." He said, making a face. "Told her I'm missing Abby."

"Couldn't even a stay a day away from her."

"Yes, she was awake when I went to her room. And don't worry. I gave her the formula and made sure she was sleeping before I decided to ruin your beauty sleep."

"Hmm…" She said as she snuggled to him, pulling him closer. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"For what?"

"Tea with Kol and my parents?" She reminded him of a very important event tomorrow.

"No, I don't think so. I don't like tea." He said, burying his face in her hair. Somehow the thought of meeting her parents and asking for her hand made him nervous as hell. Why did they need to do that? Oh right! Because, Barbie Original thought it would show respect to Elena's parents and Kol if he asked for their permission first. He had flat out refused but Elena used her doe eyes and seduced him into agreeing stating how good that would be for their new found friendly relations between both the clans.

"We will make coffee." She said.

"I don't like your parents either." He replied.

"Damon!" She said, pulling back, shocked.

"Hush! You'll wake Abby." He said, pulling her back to him.

"I'm not going back with you unless you talk them first." She said, after a minute.

"This is blackmail, Baby vamp. You know that I can't live without you." He said, pouting.

"Well if you want me, you'll have to do this for me." She said, looking up at him.

"Fine! I will." He said with a sigh. "Have I ever denied you anything?" He added.

She smiled, looking up. He rolled them again, pulling her on top of him. "Now, let me sleep." He said as he hugged her close to her chest, closing his eyes. He always needed her against him after their passionate love making. It soothe him, providing him with a peace he never experienced before.

Watching him content and happy, she smiled. "I love you." She said, tracing his features with the tip of her fingers.

"I love you too." He murmured, pulling her hand close, kissing it.

* * *

She watched him from the kitchen as he played with Abby. Abigail had inherited her father's interest in art. She loved to paint and draw and he loved to teach her. He swore she was a better student than Elena has ever been. To him, everything Abigail drew was a piece of art and held more respect in his eyes than Picasso ever did.

"Oh! This is beautiful." He exclaimed as Abigail gave him another one of her paintings. "You made this for me?" He asked, love and adoration visible in his eyes. When she nodded, he grinned, a childish happiness filled his face. "My beautiful Princess!" He said as he enveloped her in his arms and dropped several kisses on top of her head.

In the last three years, they had made wonderful memories with their daughter. They had celebrated when Abigail started to sit on her own. They had thrown a party when Abigail started to crawl. It gave her mate great joy whenever he would get home after a day training his vampires and Abigail would fight out of her lap and crawl to him eagerly. He would grin and tell her that his daughter loved him more. She pretended to be upset about it even though she wasn't.

However he was very grouchy for a month, when Abigail's first words were 'Mama' and not 'Dad' like he bet they would be. It took another week for her to learn calling him 'Dad' though he enjoyed a lot, when instead of calling Stefan 'uncle' she started calling him 'Aunt Stephanie'. She had a pretty good idea who taught her that.

But everything aside, Abigail was the most precious person to Damon. He valued her above everything. Mystic Falls, his chief ship even his own life. He never tolerated carelessness regarding Abigail. Whenever Abby got sick, no one dared to talk or even come in his way. He would be very upset and quiet until Abigail started feeling better. He was very protective of both her and his daughter and she understood that. He almost lost both of them three years ago and he hasn't forgotten that.

"And what is this color?" He asked pointing at the paint box.

"Red!" Abigail said, proudly. She had also inherited his ego and over confidence.

"That's my girl!" He said, flashing her a toothy grin. Abigail was a fast learner and he loved that about her. He claimed she was a prodigy child and smarter than everyone in her play class. He loved to brag about her. "And this?" He said pointing at another color.

"Pulple."

"It's Purple." He corrected. "Say R"

"Roar!" She growled, imitating a lion and he laughed.

Elena loved seeing them play. She loved how he would also become a child with her. She kept an eye on them as she prepared their breakfast.

"and this?" He pointed at another color.

"Gveen!" She jumped, excitedly. Not only did she loved to answer his questions she also loved the appreciation and the gifts she got for her participation. She loved attention, especially her father's. And Damon loved to shower her with that.

"Haha! No, Baby girl. This is blue." He said making a face.

"No, this… this is green." And like her father she was arrogant too.

"Princess, This is blue." He corrected again, not backing down.

"Gveen!" She argued.

She watched them argue until her mate finally gave up, accepting it. She smirked. It was nice to have a person who was as arrogant and persistent as her mate.

They started to paint again. He helped her choose correct colors, all the meanwhile feeding her the fruit salad, Elena had handed him to feed her. He was more patient and got along with Abby better than anyone ever did. The connection wasn't one sided. To Abigail, he was her hero. She loved spending time with him more than she loved spending time with her father, Kol, her uncle Stefan and her aunt Rebekah.

"And who is this?" Damon asked her after they were done making another 'master piece'. She smiled, watching their hands and faces covered with paint colors.

"This is Jake." She said, grinning. "He is cute."

She saw color drain from her mate's face. "Jake who?" He demanded.

"Elena Baby! Who the hell is Jake?"

"Just a kid from her play class, Baby." She rolled her eyes at his over protectiveness.

"She is a three year old. She isn't supposed to think boys are cute." He argued, frowning. "What are you teaching my daughter?"

"I'm not teaching her anything, baby." She replied as she picked up the tray and made her way to them.

"Abby! Listen to me. Come'ere" He said as he picked her up and placed her on his lap. "Repeat after me. Boys are disgusting and they have cooties"

"They do. Eww!" She said, her nose scrunching up in disgust.

"You're gonna be so much fun when she starts dating." Elena mocked, knowing fully how much he despised that topic.

"She has a Ripper chief for a father, I'm not much worried." He said, proudly. Always so full himself and his power.

"Elena had a thousand year old dangerous vampire siblings for a family but that didn't stop you from going after her, Did it?" Rebekah's voice snapped them out of their bubble.

"Bex!" Elena smiled, widely as she got up and went toward her sister.

"I thought I told you to leave before the shift change of the guards." Rebekah said, glaring at Elena's mate.

"I was going to leave but your sister insisted for another roun…"

"Damon!" Elena shouted.

"You said you were missing Abigail. That's why I helped you sneak in. If I knew you were planning on boning my sister I would have never helped you."

"Rebekah! Elena and I are getting married. This is normal for a couple who are in love and—"

"Speaking of which!" Rebekah interrupted. "You're supposed to visit tonight! Nervous?"

"Why would I be nervous? It's not like if your brother and your parents refuse, Elena wouldn't marry me. We will elope. There is a thing called Shot gun wedding!"

His eyes narrowed when Elena didn't look up toapprove his decision. "You wouldn't dare!" He growled.

"Yeah, I would…"

"I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you to the altar myself." He warned.

"You'll marry her only after Kol approves!" Rebekah said, firmly.

"You're really going to make me work for it, won't you?" He said, looking over Rebekah's shoulder to his mate. She nodded, a glint of mischief shining in her eyes.

"Now, you need to leave!" Rebekah said, noticing Elena and her mate have started looking into each other's eyes again. It always led to him taking Elena to bedroom. She had to stop them before they started mounting each other again. "Now!"

He pouted, looking at Elena for support but she shook her head, clearly telling him to leave. "You're breaking law by coming here without Kol's permission, Damon. Originals might not kill you if they found you here but it sure as hell won't make a good impression on him and my parents." She reminded him.

"Fine!" He said with much disdain.

"I want to go with Dad!" Abby jumped, reaching him.

"No, Abby. Daddy has work today. He will come back in the evening. Won't you? Daddy" Elena said, picking up her daughter before her daughter could melt her mate using her big eyes.

"Yes, my princess." He promised, planting a kiss on her hand and then on her cheek. "Take Care." He said to his mate before claiming her lips in a short kiss too.

"Let's go!" Rebekah said, almost pulling him away from her.

"See you tonight, my Queen!" He whispered to Elena before Rebekah ushered him out.

* * *

Everything had changed a lot in the past three years. After the death of Klaus, Originals including Elena were released from Klaus's sire bond. They weren't obligated to stay in Mystic Falls anymore but they still stayed under the leadership of Kol Michelson.

Devastated by the death of his son, Mikael and Isobel left Mystic Falls for a while and only returned when Elena announced her wedding and Kol insisted they should participate.

The peace treaty between Originals and Rippers weren't easy since there was a lot of emotional baggage from the past two centuries. But they knew they had to cooperate to save themselves from the wrath of clans of council Lords. Together they had unity. It was very difficult in the beginning. There had been a couple of vicious brawls between the two clans but they weren't as bad as they used to be.

The borders weren't exactly open. Clan members still needed permission from the chief of the other clan before entering their territory but there wasn't any execution punishment for meeting the members of other clan or crossing the border. Despite difficulties and bitter resentments both clans were working hard to improve relationship with their neighbors.

It wasn't the first time, chief of Rippers, Damon Salvatore was visiting Michelson house. He had been here for a couple for meetings and one time to steal his mate when Klaus kidnapped her, but this was the only time he was nervous.

Because this time, he wasn't going as Chief of Rippers, he was going as Elena's fiancé asking for her brother's and her parents' permission to take her from them for the rest of his life. He couldn't live without her. He had to make her his fully.

He sighed a cold sigh. Who would have thought there would come a day when he would have to ask for Original's (as Elena put it) 'blessings' to do something he would do anyway? Things he did for love!

Rebekah had told him she will support him throughout the meeting. Somehow he doubted that. Even though she was a friend now, she still loved to mess things up for him. Rebekah had grown on him in the past three years. He still remembered when she entered the door of his house demanding to see Elena and Abigail when he brought them home from council. He had threatened to kill her right on spot if she didn't leave.

But she refused, completely. She said it was her fault Elena was in an enchanted sleep and she wouldn't leave until she woke up. Just then Stefan had arrived with crying Abigail, telling him he didn't have any idea why she was crying.

They had no experience with children for the past one hundred and seventy years and they had no idea how to calm her down. Rebekah had rushed to her and took her from Stefan's arm, cradling and crooning, telling them she needed to be fed and changed. It was as if she could understand Abigail's baby language and just knew everything she needed. Rebekah said she knew all that because Abigail was just like Elena.

At first, they didn't trust her at all. He and Stefan would be standing over her head all the time, keeping a very sharp eye on her. But Rebekah's action assured them that she was genuinely sorry and just wanted to help them. It was her own redemption for what she almost did.

He still didn't trust her. He was already depressed to the point of breakdown because his mate wouldn't wake up. But Alaric reassured him that like him after the loss of her mate, Rebekah had found a new purpose of life before she could join her mate in after life. Her purpose was to protect her siblings and her sister's offspring. Later on, Alaric also helped Rebekah overcome the grief of losing her mate. He was an expert in that.

Rebeakh was the only Original vampire apart from his mate that could enter his territory without his permission and even stay over at his and his mate's house whenever she felt like it. She had proved her loyalty to his mate over and over again. She and Stefan were also the only ones who he trusted enough with Abby. They both took turns in babysitting Abby whenever he and his mate needed 'private time'. Lately, he had noticed Stefan was growing feelings for her. Maybe even love. But they still had a lot of way to go.

The knock on the door almost startled him, breaking the line of his thoughts. "Who is it?" He asked.

"The planned one!" Stefan replied from the other side.

He rolled his eyes. "Come in!"

"Ready?" Stefan asked, entering.

"Almost!" He said, running his fingers through his hair one last time.

"Are you nervous?" Stefan asked, smirking.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? No. I'm not nervous. What's there to be nervous about it?" He said, confidently checking his look in the mirror. "They'll love me. I'm irresistible."

Stefan snorted. "I think you don't remember the last time we met Mikael. Remember the council meeting, you called him an old fool and told him to shove his ideas up his 'arse'."

He frowned, remembering. "That happened fifty years ago!"

"I don't think he would have forgotten that!" Stefan said, grinning. "Also do you remember the time when—"

"Stop!" He said, glaring. "We are all past that stage."

"Sure, we are!" Stefan replied, enjoying his nervousness. This was a very rare sight. It reminded him of a time when they were humans.

"Can you hurry up? Abby had called me three times since last hour." Stefan said, impatiently. He wanted to meet his niece. This was the only reason he decided to tag along with him. Also his brother's protection. He took his brother's security more serious than anything in his life.

"Okay, done." He said, taking a deep breath. "Let's go!"

"Have you asked about the strippers from your 'Baby Vamp'?" Stefan asked as they walked down stairs.

"What about it?" He said, puzzled.

"She is cool with it, Right?"

"I think I'm gonna pass. I have a three year old daughter and—"

"No!" Stefan hissed. "Don't ruin our fun! Please" He added, almost pleading.

He rolled his eyes, his brother could be so childish sometimes. He was really going to get him in trouble with Elena. His mate wasn't much jealous type but sometimes she would get very possessive and he was sure this was going to be one of those times since she was... He smiled at the thought. But he yet had to confirm his suspicion.

"Please!" Stefan begged.

Never the less he will try for his brother. "Fine!"

"What car should we take?" Stefan asked as they reached.

"Camaro!" He said pointing at his favorite car. It was his lucky car. He remembered he took Elena out on their first date in this particular car.

"Don't be nervous, Damon. I don't think Mikael would remember the time we laughed at his suggestions in the council meetings of 1964 and called him an arrogant bastard with dung for brains." Stefan added, smirking.

"You just reminded me of that." He said, groaning. Never did he thought that his words would bite him back in the ass so many years later. He could imagine Elena's reaction if she ever found out about this. She may not have a good relation without her father but this would still hurt her.

"Good luck, Boys!" Alaric waved from his window.

"Give my love to Abby!" Bonnie added. "Tell her I miss her."

"Will do!" He grumbled as he revived the engine of the car.

* * *

"This is my sister Elena Michelson." Kol introduced her to a decent looking vampire. He belonged to a friend clan. She knew why Kol had called him.

"and Honey, this is Evan Laurent. A very dear friend of mine." He said, smiling a toothy grin.

"Nice to meet you." The charming man said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it.

"Like wise" Elena replied, plastering a fake smile on her face. "Kol, can I talk to you alone?"

"We can talk later, Honey, why don't you keep my dear friend company while I…"

"Kol! Now!" She said, pulling him from his arm and taking him to a room nearby. "What the hell? Kol" She said, frowning. "I'm about to get married. I already have a mate and I have a child with him. Would you stop trying to set me up with your friends?"

"Elena, really a Ripper?"

"Kol!"

"I mean you can do better than him. If you want to get married you can…"

"No! I want my mate and I only want to get married to him. Get it through your head."

"Evan is good looking too…"

"It's not about good looks." Elena said, making a face. "and my mate is way better." She added hurriedly. "My mate can understand me like no one other. He put me first. He makes me laugh even in times when I think it's impossible. He is my soul mate, Kol." She said, smiling. Even the thought of him made her smile.

He scrunched up his nose. "Fine! He is coming today for dinner, right?"

"Yes! He is on his way." Elena said, excitedly. "And please, behave!"

"I always behave!" Kol replied, frowning.

"Give him a genuine chance, Kol. You'll love him. I know I did."

"Somehow I doubt that."

* * *

He and Stefan knocked on the huge door. He was holding a bouquet of flowers while Stefan was holding a bottle of one of their most ancient, expensive wine. "I can't believe we are giving away this beauty to get the woman you already have a child with." Stefan pouted at the bottle.

Damon sighed. "Smile extra big so they serve us with this and not some average scotch."

Stefan chuckled. "I bet they can afford that, seeing how much they spend on doors."

He pointed at the large, decorated, carved with patterns door. It was by far one of the most beautiful houses he had ever seen.

The door opened and a house maid smiled at them. "The awaited guest are here, come in please!"

They both nodded, entering. Damon was relieved to see Elena and Rebekah coming downstairs, he smiled but it faded as soon as Isobel came outside, blocking his view. "Kol, dear, the guests have arrived, how are you Salvatore men today?" She asked, fake smile plastered on her face.

Stefan, as instructed handed her the wine bottle with a wide-ass smile "Very well and slightly better after seeing you."

She blushed and Damon rolled his eyes at Stefan's flattery. He gazed at his mate appreciating her beautiful light pink baby doll dress before he gave Isobel the bouquet "You look beautiful!" he kissed the back of her hand and she gave an unpleasant huff, she would never like him no matter what.

Isobel led them to the very heavily furnished living room. A light foreign music was playing in the background. Italian music.

Isobel turned to them gesturing them to sit on the fancy maroon sofa. "You might recognize this note" She pointed at the song played on the music system. " I ordered the very original one from Italy, since we are Originals."

Stefan faked a laugh and elbowed him to play along; he too chuckled, humoring her.

"I will let Kol know you're here. "She passed Stefan a warm smile and left the room.

"Look at this place, this vomit inducing decorations, do you really want to marry this girl?" Stefan almost barfed in his mouth. It was clear that Originals were very pretentious.

Damon huffed. "She likes you but she doesn't like me. I'm the one committing my life to her daughter."

Stefan smirked "I always knew I was likable in every generation. I mean after Mikael's sexy self I'm sure the only man she gave green signals to is me."

"Stefan, if you made another lame joke about you-know-what with my to be Mother- in-law ,I will throw you out of Mystic falls." He said as if disgusted.

"That gives me a very good idea. Isobel and I will get together. We will conspire against all the Originals and kick out everyone and then I can be the Original chief and later we both can settle who gets the kingdom over our classic pillow fights."

Before Damon could roll his eyes at his brother's childishness, they heard Kol's voice "Anything else you guys are better at other than pillow fights?"

He walked into the room keeping his rifle aside. "I bought this baby back in early nineteens, you see all that."

He pointed at the hung animal heads on the opposite wall "My best work! You just got to hit right at the second, once you miss it, it's gone." He bragged about his hunting skills, giving them a subtle threat.

Kol rubbed his hands together and sat on the opposite sofa "Apologies for taking some time, I was busy giving myself pep talk, let's be honest, you guys aren't exactly what we expected Honey would bring home when we were raising her. We're all a bit disappointed. I had very high expectations for my sister's mate. I'm sure you understand you have a daughter too now. Can't let every Tom, Dick and Harry marry her."

Stefan had that wide smile plastered on his face and somehow Damon knew his cheeks would hurt later. He loved his brother, Stefan despised Originals yet he was putting so much effort.

"I wouldn't agree with that. My brother gave you run for your money for almost two centuries. I think your sister chose the best one around." Stefan said through his teeth, smiling.

"Let's agree to disagree!" Kol replied, cockily.

"So! How is everything at your side? Damon." Kol asked to cut the awkwardness.

Damon sighed."Ahh! Actually we are doing very good. I have a bunch of new comer vampires we are training. Very talented but slow learners. My Abby could throw a better punch than them when they started."

"Dinner is served, Kol, dear, Mikael is waiting."

Kol gestured at them to join. They both got up and followed him to an even more decorated, very lavish and lighted room, the biggest ever table on one end of which Mikael was seated, sitting with him was Elena and Rebekah taking a seat next to Elena. Leaving two seats, Kol pulled himself a chair and sat down. The empty seats belonged to Klaus and Caroline and Isobel never allowed anyone to so much as touch them. She signaled them to sit on the opposite of Elena and Rebekah and next to Davina and Kol. "My mate Davina!" Kol introduced.

Isobel clapped her hands and the housemaid entered ,the older woman too sat and politely said "Serve dinner, Claire!"

The girl nodded, obediently .

Isobel announced "These are all from your hometown, Damon. Risotto, Prosciutto, ravioli, carbonara and this pandigiana." She pointing at a dish, trying to imitate a very weird Italian accent.

Damon locked eyes with his mate, smirking and noticing her flushed cheeks at her mother's behavior.

"Ma'am, that's ravioli you're pointing to." Damon said lightly.

Stefan added "and that is Parmigiana, sweetheart." He corrected her pronunciation to which she shrugged ."Whatever, I don't know, Mikael and I went to Italy a long long time ago, I even learned some Italian from a local there."

Kol sighed muttering under his breath. "Oh God!"

Isobel continued. "Now as they like to say in Italy for a nice meal ; Rovina in starneiro inferno (Rot in hell foreigner)"

Damon choked on his drink and Stefan too tried to bite back his laugh, Damon was enjoying seeing his mate all embarrassed over her family. She was holding the table so hard her knuckles were white and biting her lip to a point where it would bleed.

"Isobel! How about a simple Bon appetite? " Kol said through his teeth.

"Enough!"Mikael said in a low voice "We are more interested in what the Chief of Rippers has to say!"

Damon cleared his throat. "Well, Sir!"

"Sir!" He let out a humorless chuckle which turned into a light laugh. "Not an old fool with shit for brains anymore. At least she taught you some manners!"

Mikael patted Elena's back "Good work dear, Thank you for the transition."

She glared at her mate who was looking at his sweaty palms. Damn his luck! Stefan was right Mikael didn't forget anything.

Stefan broke the tension by saying "Cheers to that!"

Damon took a deep breath as everyone calmed down "As you know, your beautiful daughter and I had been together for a while now and she is also my mate."

"Unfortunately, yes I agree to that." Mikael had that 'I-won' smile which he wanted to ward off but was resisting the urge.

"And you are aware that we already are parents to our Abigail."

Elena nodded as if telling him to go on, encouraging him. He kept looking at her "Very few of the million reasons why I am here to ask for your beautiful daughter's hand in marriage."

Mikael nodded. "So does my approval matter to you?"

Damon wanted to say 'no' , cause if even Mikael didn't approve he'd throw Elena over his shoulder and take her with him "Of course, Sir!" He faked a smile again.

"Very Well! Let my son and I examine you and see if you can earn our approval. " Mikael signaled for him to eat. Damon gave a tight lipped smile .

"Honestly, Damon when Elena first told me about this I was actually worried for the communication between you both , but wow, you can speak English almost as good as us." Isobel said while chewing on her food, Damon's eyes widened at the comment.

He gave Elena, your-mum-is-racist-as-hell look.

She pouted as if apologizing.

"Isobel, we actually spent about two hundred years here." he said with a mocking grin.

"Oh, please, call me Mrs. Michelson." Isobel said.

Mikael asked. "Seeing as your quite mature… Is this your first marriage?"

He took a deep breathe. Mikael was a thousand year old, he had no right to make fun of his age. "Of course, it is."

"Any other women?"

"Elena would grill me if that was the case." He replied, smiling.

"Father, he is fully committed to me." Elena added.

Kol shook his head. "Skipping the topic, Damon, do tell us about your hobbies?"

Stefan interrupted "He is very good at buying new up to date furniture." Stefan was openly criticizing their old fashioned house.

Kol bit on his lip. "I believe I was asking Damon."

Elena finally spoke for him. "He is an artist, he draws sketches and paintings, very beautiful paintings."

She smiled warmly at him and he finally started feeling home.

"So, if you weren't a ruler of half the city, all your talents were painting?" Isobel said sharply adding "Does that even get anyone a dollar? How much is your one painting worth anyway. I own an art gallery. I know an artist when I see one."

He shook his head. "Art isn't my profession, it's my passion, nothing is for sale, it's just a way I can draw my restlessness out of my mind on a canvas and the day I found Elena, it became a way to draw what was in my heart." He looked at her with all his heart displayed in his eyes.

She smiled, lovingly.

"So what else can you do?" Kol asked as if not impressed. Painting and Sketching was never his thing.

"Many things , I have a incy wincy talent in Car manufacturing ,I have master's degree in Accounting, so I can pretty much shower Elena in riches, I know 14 different accents ,I once won a state boxing competition, the same year we included werewolves to our clan after a war with the now brother neighbors." He reminded them of a win he had against the Originals almost a century ago, annoyed by their hostility.

Kol shook his head. "Talented and newbie weak vampire, just the way Honey likes it."

Damon chuckled "The same newbie who none of you could get rid of for two centuries."

Elena widened her eyes at him. And he stopped, frowning.

His sugar coated poison taunt made Kol bitter and he too faked a smile. "Jokes on you, you are here at our mercy asking for my sister's hand in marriage."

Damon nodded laughing. "Yeah! But since she already said yes, we already have mated and have a daughter so this is just a formality."

Stefan coughed coming in between their argument before the fake laughs could turn into sneers and those could turn into another century of war.

"Wow! Isobel, dessert is amazing." Stefan interrupted.

Elena quickly said. "Stefan, that's Marinara sauce."

He coughed and downed his wine.

Kol glared at him. "That was my glass."

Stefan sighed as if out of hope "oh …..Haven't you heard a clan that drinks together stays together?"

Damon slightly rose pouring him another glass. "There you go!"

He nodded with a smile taking it, and this time the smile wasn't completely fake.

Elena sighed as Stefan asked. "What are your hobbies besides hunting ?" Of course he was making a friendly conversation.

Kol turned to him slightly" Well I like photography, I also have a social media following because of it and mostly—"

"Elena!" Mikael said a little loud turning everyone's attention to him, he added "If you wish to play footsie with the Ripper Chief he is a little on the right to my foot will you please mind that now."

She flushed "Father… I…"

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "God, why are we all trying so hard?, Can't we just have a normal dinner with our family being less racist and your family less reactive?"

Stefan huffed. "Finally!" he touched his cheek as if they hurt. He had smiled a lot tonight even he just wanted to stake them.

Mikael got up the chair. "Does any of this really matters? Every single one of you does what they desire, he isn't here to ask for any permission ? He is here to rub this in my face that he doesn't need an approval, that he won war and my daughter."

Elena looked up at him "Father, what are you saying?" he ignored.

Damon stood up as Stefan sighed. "God! I can't do this anymore."

Damon clenched his fists in frustration" No sir, Mikael I mean , I am not here to do any of those thing, I am not even here as the chief of Rippers , I am just a person who is very much in love with your daughter, asking for your blessings?"

"You listen! "he said but Damon interrupted "I am not here to start any old wars , this is a completely different thing , I am just here because I love your daughter and I want to make her mine in every way , whatever happened between the Rippers and Originals isn't going to take the right you have on your daughter, being her mate doesn't give me the right to take the choice away from you. "

Elena shook her head and walked to stand behind her mate, holding his arm.

"So what if I say no? What if I say you cannot marry my daughter?" Mikael said crossing his arms over his chest.

Damon sighed "Then you'll leave me no other choice then to come here every day and ask you until you are finally convinced that no one in this whole wide universe can love your daughter as much as I do and trust me, I would do it, I'm nothing if not persistent, you and I both have got forever ,but there would be consequences your daughter won't be happy since she really wants this."

Elena nodded, agreeing with him, Mikael stayed quiet looking at his daughter then Damon, then Kol , Kol lightly shrugged , he wasn't totally opposed to the idea of them like his other son had been.

"Ma'am, Abigail is asking for you." the house maid brought her, her crying daughter. Elena took her wiping her tears and as soon as she saw Damon she gasped "Daddy!"

Damon smiled at her taking the Abby from Elena's arms "Daddy is here, Princess." He kissed her cheeks, dropping his forehead on hers, and his fingers stroked her face as he closed his eyes in content. Abigail started telling him about her day. "We played horsie with uncle Kol." She told him excitedly.

"Abby!" Stefan waved at her.

"Uncle Stefan!" She shouted, excited to see him. She almost jumped out of her father's lap to reach her uncle. Stefan flashed in front of her, taking her from his brother. It was a sight. The Rippers were completely wrapped around her tiny fingers, talking, playing with her, forgetting Originals presence.

Elena gave Mikael a look, as if requesting him. Seeing Damon play with Abby, Mikael realized he missed all of his moments with Elena, he never shared the beautiful bond. He gave her away to Klaus the moment she was born, knowing she was just for a purpose.

Rebekah came to his side talking in a low voice "You don't want to separate a family, trust me, an eternity of guilt is a misery."

Mikael looked at the family of three again and sighed. "Alright, I give you two my blessings, I will walk Elena down the aisle for you."

Elena grinned "Thank you, father, thank you so much." Mikael nodded.

Kol sighed. "Well I guess its decided, Congratulations little sister" he side hugged her and she kissed his cheek. "A Ripper? Really?" He teased.

"Stop teasing her." Davina said. She had enough of their family drama. She had been silently supporting her mate throughout the ordeal never interrupting. She was always the quiet type.

"Shut up!" Elena elbowed him.

Kol still huffed at Damon. "We all have our eyes on you, Ripper. Hurt her and then you'll see our wrath."

"It would be a cold day in hell before I hurt her." He said looking at his mate. She smiled, wrapping her arms around him.

"So, what about us now?" Stefan whispered to Rebekah. She glared at him before looking away, joining in the celebration of her sister's upcoming marriage.

* * *

"I can't believe you went to a strip club." She growled over the phone.

"You told me it was okay." He replied, hissing. How can she fight with him on the day of their wedding? She had been very different lately. Crying one minute, laughing other. Over emotional. And he knew why!

"Yes, I did but I didn't actually mean I was okay with it. No women in the world could be okay with that. You have a three year old daughter for goodness sake." She shouted as Rebekah did her hair.

"Oh my God! Baby Vamp, I said that when you were arguing. You literally threw me out of the house and told me to 'live a little'. You told me to go fully aware where the boys were taking me. Don't blame this on me now. And don't think I don't know about the male strippers your sister called for your bachelorette."

"At least, I didn't have glitter all over my face." She replied, furiously referring to events happening last night. When he had somehow sneaked in to her apartment again and she had found glitter all over his face. She didn't know what happened. She had thrown a tantrum unlike never before even though she was the one who insisted he needed to go and take a break.

"You know what? That's it! I can't talk to you anymore. You're not making any sense." He said angrily as he hung up.

Rebekah smirked and started counting.

"In five, four, three, two—" Elena's phone started beeping again. He was calling her again. He just couldn't stay away from her.

"Aren't you going to answer?" She asked when Elena put the phone on a side instead of answering.

"No, I'll let him panic that I'm not showing up at the wedding."

"YES!" Kol's joy could be heard in his voice. "I can help you run away." He said, seriously.

"My mate will track us down to end of world." Elena replied, smiling. "He can't stay away from me for more than a few hours."

"That should scare you." Kol said, frowning.

"I can't stay away from him either." Elena replied, picking up her phone, typing.

"What are you doing?"

"Telling him not to expect me to show up at the wedding."

"You're very mean." Kol said. "Good! I'm sure Nick would have a laugh out of it."

Suddenly she froze, looking down at her palms. Tears welling in her eyes. She wished he was here. She wished he would walk her down the aisle like he once promised.

"Hey! Hey! No tears." Kol said, wiping her tears. "You'll ruin your thousand dollar makeup and Isobel's chance to brag about how rich we are."

She sniffed, smiling. "I'm sure he and Care are with us right now."

He nodded, agreeing.

"It's time for the veil." Isobel squeaked excitedly. "I bought this from…"

"I'm sure it's classic and very expensive but could you please hurry up." Kol interrupted.

"Where is Abby?" Davina asked.

"Stefan took her back home today." Elena answered. "It's been more than a week she had been here. He was really missing her."

"Hush! Girl!" Isobel said, clipping the light veil to her hair.

"You look really beautiful, Honey." Rebekah said, almost crying. "Are you sure about this?"

"About Damon?" She said, almost laughing. "I was his before I even knew it." She said, remembering about the time he told her about his dreams about her. "Yes, he is the only one I can imagine, spending all my life with."

"And… when will you tell him about that?" Rebekah reminded her of something she just found out today.

"Tonight." Elena replied.

* * *

This was the place they had first met. The clock tower. He remembered it as if it happened yesterday. Ever since that day, they had been through a lot. First his psychotic rage when his mate wasn't accepting him then she finally accepted him but she had a secret, then finally after the big reveal her family's opposition to them, the fight for Abigail, his hybrid daughter and then almost losing his mate to the clutches of death. But their love was strong. It over came every obstacle in their way and now finally they were going to be together in every way.

They faced a few challenges more. Abigail wasn't a normal child and there were days when her magic would explode out of her. His witches did fast work and they made charm bracelet for Abigail that helped her control her magic. Bonnie was already teaching her how to craft her magic into more productive way.

They still had some issues regarding Abigail. She would grow up like a normal human. As much as it hurt them they decided they wouldn't turn her unless she asked to. If she wanted to live a human life they would let her. At some point, Abigail will have children of her own. They decided they would watch over them and then their next generations. But again, this was something to think about in another time. Right now, he was focused on his wedding.

They had planned a late evening wedding. Elena loved fairy lights and he had made sure the area was filled with it. Night had a specific significance in their relationship. They met in the darkness of night. They had enjoyed their first date just roaming around the roads of Denver a whole night. When Elena's secret was revealed to him, this clock tower right here was where she promised to choose him over her own family. And finally he had proposed to her under the stars at night too.

"Are you sure she is going to show up? She seemed really firm when she said she was calling off the wedding?" Stefan teased him.

He hid his smile, looking down. He was lucky enough to be standing at this altar, waiting for Elena Michelson to walk down the aisle and become his wife. He knew she was purposely late, taking her sweet ass time to torture him more but what's a few minutes when you have eternity.

"Stefan, if you don't shut up I will pull out your heart and shove it up your ass." He threatened. "This is all your fault anyway. We knew her condition. We knew she'll get worked up at this yet you…"

"You enjoyed it as much as we did." Enzo interrupted.

"Are you sure she is—" Alaric trailed off refereeing to the grand news Damon had given him today about the addition in their clan.

"Positive. I know her more than she knows herself and Bonnie confirmed it today too." He said, smiling at the thought.

"I felt magic from her." Bonnie said. "Strong magic… not hers." She added.

"She is only grouchy because she doesn't know how to tell me." He said. "But I know everything." He said, smugly.

He ran over his eyes on all the decorations. There were lights entwined in greenery, flower arrangements, green plants, and a large bow tied around flowers at the end of aisle. Everything studded with fairy lights, sparkling, giving the illusion of stars. He wasn't much ashamed to admit this was his creativity. He wanted everything to be special for her.

He and his two best man, Stefan and Enzo stood at the altar. Abigail was playing with Bonnie, running around in her baby blue net dress.

Time passed torturously slow and finally music started playing, announcing the arrival of his bride. The first one to walk down the heavily lighted carpeted aisle was Rebekah in her yellow satin dress. Followed by finally her...

"I choose the dress by the way." Stefan whispered. "You're welcome." He added. Damon didn't hear anything though because he was mesmerized by the first sight of his soon to be wife.

She stood at the one end of the aisle, holding her father's arm. He was breathless. She looked like a vision of angel in her wedding dress. It was pure white, with yards of satin, layered with fine lace, on her arms and just above her breasts along with heavy voluminous wide skirt. Her hair was pulled up in a beautiful bun accented with flowers along her veil, which was so sheer and delicate; it covered half of her face. He could see her down cast eyes. She looked so pure, so innocent.

She looked up, just then, locking eyes with him, gasping.

Truly he looked radiant, glowing with both joy and love as pure as it was powerful. Her shy eyes gazed at her tall, handsome soon to be husband in his black tux. He took her breath away. His sparkling blue eyes shone like sapphires as he looked at her, mouthing "Oh My God". She looked down immediately, flushed.

"Elena," Her father whispered. "Let's go."

Slowly, they started walking. It had all been like a dream up till then, and now suddenly it was real. He couldn't wait anymore. He had waited enough. Watching his beautiful bride approach. He started up the aisle to meet her halfway, took her arm after thanking her father and walked her down the rest of the aisle.

"Dear Beloved, we are gathered here to celebrate the joining…" The officiator continued.

"I thought you weren't going to show up." He whispered as they stood at altar. The ceremony had started, the officiator was speaking but he was too eager to talk to his future wife rather than listening.

"I wasn't." Elena replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"Then why did you come?"

"Pity. The thought of you standing there all by yourself… " She mocked. "I'm not that cruel."

He scoffed. "Like I would buy that."

"I know why you're here!" He said after a minute of silence. "You're here because you're oh so desperately in love with me and the very thought being separated from me kills you. You're here because you know that after this, I'll ravish you like I haven't before and we both know how you can't resist a chance like that."

"So full of yourself." She huffed.

"Rightfully."

"Well, these are all your assumptions." She whispered.

"Baby Vamp, should I remind you of just last night when you were sucking jam off my abs." He muttered.

She immediately flushed, glaring at him. He smiled, smugly, looking at her beautiful doe eyes. Such purity, such warmness, such innocence. He had never seen such beauty anywhere other than her doe eyes, the eyes he loved so much, the eyes he kissed every night before he slept and every morning after he woke up.

From a distance she heard Rebekah hiss. "Knew it, she was lying." Rebekah muttered. She had specifically told them to stay away from each other at least for a night but No! The Ripper vampire seduced her into agreeing.

"You're an asshole." Elena muttered, blushing by his crudeness.

"Baby Vamp, you're not supposed to use that sort of language at the altar." He said in a very amused tone.

"Did you make your vows?" The officiator interrupted them.

"Yes, I did." He said, turning slightly to face his soon to be wife. There was still mock anger in her eyes as he held her hands.

"Elena, you are the girl of my dreams. And this is not some cheesy line. I have been dreaming about you before I even knew you existed. I used to dream about your lips, your hair and… your eyes. God! Your eyes. I fell in love with them the first time I saw them. And then when I met you and got to know you I fell in love with you all over again but this time a lot harder.

It hasn't been easy, Elena. We faced so much. I… There had been time when I almost lost you. But we are real so we overcame everything in our way to each other. I told you that we are made for each other, didn't I? I knew it way back.

The moment I saw you Elena, I just knew that I had to make you mine in every way. Mind, Body, heart and soul. I knew that you're the one I'll like to spend rest of my eternity with. You're my light and inspiration. You're my world.

I know that I'm not perfect and we fight awfully a lot. There isn't a second when we aren't bantering but today, I promise to love you more than anyone can ever love anyone. I promise to make you laugh whenever you're feeling down, support all your smart decisions although that happens rarely. I will respect you, honor you, protect you, cherish you and be faithful to you for the rest of our eternity." He completed.

Tears were freely falling down her cheeks. He wanted to kiss them away but he couldn't. He had to wait until she was officially his.

"Damon!" She took a deep breath. "I have to catch my breath to believe this is real, that I am marrying the love of my life, my soul mate and my best friend. No words can possibly express the love that I feel for you. When you walked in to my life, true love walked in. You made everything crazy and scared the hell out of me at times. I tried to fight the powerful feelings that you made me feel.

I don't know when you crept under my skin, stole my heart and consumed me. You're the one who taught me how to live life. You taught me how to laugh fully. You taught how to love fully, recklessly, madly, selflessly. I am yours utterly and have been since the moment we met. I love you madly and irrecoverably and I can't wait to spend my eternity with you." She said, her tone seeping of love and adoration. For a minute, the rest of the world blurred as they looked at each other.

The officiator cleared his throat, breaking their moment.

"Damon Salvatore, Will you have this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her, honor her, keep her, and forsaking all others, keeping you only unto her, for every day of your life?"

"I do." He said without hesitation, looking into her shy doe eyes.

"And do you Elena Michelson take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him, honor him, comfort him, and forsaking all others, keeping you only unto him, for as long as you shall live?"

"I do." She replied with a warm smile, not moving her eyes from him.

"Now you'll exchange rings." He announced.

Stefan passed him the ring, fast. Damon slid on the ring on to her finger, smiling softly.

"Do you have a ring for the groom?" The officiator asked.

"Yes," Rebekah said as she handed the ring to Elena.

Elena slid on the silver band on to his finger, tears glistening on her cheeks.

"By the authority invested in me by state of Virginia, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

And this what they both wanted to hear since a month. This was it. Nothing could come ever between them.

Gently, he lifted her veil and cupped her face, looking at her as if he had seen her after centuries. He cupped her face tenderly, capturing her gaze. "I love you." He whispered and slowly tilted his head and brought his lips down to hers. Then, he kissed her, kept kissing her tenderly, so tenderly, until her eyes slowly closed, savoring the moment. They conveyed their mad love to each other in that one kiss. Reluctantly, they pulled away after the officiator coughed.

He didn't care thought and pulled her in his arms in an embrace. "I can't wait to have another child with you." He whispered.

"How did you…?" She gasped.

"Crazy sex drive, crazy emotions and a witch best friend." He answered. "I know you more than you know yourself, Mrs. Salvatore."

"Mum! Daddy!" Their daughter rushed to them, with everyone else following, congratulating them.

"Abby! How would you like to have a baby brother?" He asked, picking her up, kissing her on her cheek.

"But you said boys are disgusting." Abigail frowned.

"Brothers aren't." Damon answered. "The rest of the boys are though" He added, quickly.

Elena laughed, circling an arm around her husband.

"You're married, Honey!" Rebekah said excitedly.

"Congratulations." Another guest said.

Time passed quick as they enjoyed with their loved ones, savoring their new relationship. They danced, they took pictures, they cut the cake and enjoyed the speeches given by both of their relatives. In the meanwhile Elena's husband kept whispering sinful things in her ear. "I can't wait to take you in this dress."

"How can you be so crude?" She slapped his arm.

"Abuse!" He said, eyes widening.

She gasped but faking anger. "If you keep behaving like this you're not going to get anything tonight."

"You're challenging the chief of Rippers!" He said, lacing his fingers with hers.

"Well, I'm the Queen of Rippers."

"True." He said, nodding. "Then I guess I need to apologize for my crudeness." He said, kissing her knuckle.

"The king of Rippers will apologize to me?" she said wide eyed.

"A King only bows down to his Queen." He admitted, kneeling in front of her. "What is my punishment my queen?"

She laughed, blush covering her cheeks, while everyone cheered.

"You'll have to love me forever."

"Of course." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She held his arm and helped him up, looking into his eyes. All her life, there had been restlessness in her soul but today she found her destiny in his arms, in him. He was her family's worst enemy. Her worst enemy. Their love and union was impossible. But they overcame everything.

As she enveloped her arms around him, embracing him, hiding her face in the crook of his neck, she thanked her brother who sacrificed his life for her to live hers. She sighed a sigh of content. She felt pure love and peace from him. She was finally home. He was her home. And nothing could part them now.

* * *

 **THANK YOU EVERYONE!**

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope it also makes up for all the angst that you had to bear along the way.

Please don't forget to review! I would love to hear what you thought about the epilogue. Whenever you read this or reread this, do review! It won't take more than a minute and it will make my day!

I have another vampire story in line about Delena. It's not a sequel to ILWTE. It would be a new story of a vampire mate running away from her vampire husband for certain reasons and then him finding her after much search. But it still needs a lot of work before I post it. So keep an eye out for that.

Awekenza I haven't forgotten your epilogue. I did it once but it was so late I felt embarrassed to post it. I'll try to rewrite that and post ASAP.

Mia, I,m glad you're fine now. You had me worried.

Once again, thank you so much for support!

Review!

Please Take care and stay safe!


	35. Sequel Announcement

**Hi guys!**

Bet you never thought you'd get an update here. I also thought I was done with this genre but guess what?  
 **I have uploaded another story, very similar to this.**

It's not a sequel, it's sort of a spin-off. Damon and Elena are at Hogwarts. _(Note that Hogwarts main characters aren't involved, No Harry, Ron or Hermoine)_ Damon is Minister of Magic's son, a loyal Slytherin, and a pureblood. Elena is A Gryffindor, muggle-born witch, who seek to take revenge from her ex-boyfriend Stefan by hooking up with Damon, however, emotions get involved and soon they find themselves falling in love with each other. Just then Minister of magic passes legislation, making muggle born and pure blood relationship illegal. Also sending off muggle borns out of the wizarding world. Read further to find out.

 **Story title: 'In Love with the enemy (part 2: bad blood)**

 _Link: s/13228896/1/In-Love-With-The-Enemy-Part-2-Bad-blood_

Read and Review because I'd love that.

Note: This story is pre-written, complete. I just didn't post it since I never liked it enough.

Note 2: We found DE has kids in Legacies! (I know I'm late but I'm still dancing over this fact everyday)

Lots of Love

May

XoXo


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